The Heartless Nymph
by Sweethoneytwilight
Summary: His friendship with Ash fixed, Nick should be happy, yet why is he twisting in agony? Because once again he had lost another woman he care for and she was the last person he thought he would ever fall in love with. Nick/OC
1. Christine

I came up with this story after reading the short on Nick, Fear the Darkness. This is my continuation of the short and my first Dark-Hunter series, I hope you enjoy it. There's no rating as of yet, but it might change as the story progress.

%

"Christine."

Christine finished patting the dirt around the flowers she was planting and turn to the women calling her, Sister Marcy.

"Yes." she answered in her sharp, high pitched voice.

"Come," said Sister Marcy, taking her arm, and leading her to the baths, "we must get you cleaned up. You have visitors."

"Visitors?" Christine gave the elder woman a puzzled stare. She was bemused by what the sister had said. She couldn't have visitors. In all the five years that she had lived in All Souls Catholic Church, after being abandoned on the doorstep, never once had she left the grounds nor has anyone left. How could she have visitors?

"Who are they?" asked Christine, while Sister Marcy washed the mud from her hands and face and the carried her to her bed chamber.

"They said they're your uncles." said Sister Marcy, her eyes watering, "Here to take you home."

"Uncles?"

"Yes." said Sister Marcy, changing Christine into a fresh clean white dress with a blue lace tie around her chest.

"How are they my uncles?"

"I don't know, Christine." she softly replied, sitting on the bed and hiding her face. "Perhaps you could ask them?" she choked out.

Christine stood in the middle of her bed chamber and stared at the tearful woman. She went to her and wiped the tears away with her handkerchief. "Why are you sad?"

Sister Marcy gave a loud cry and embraced Christine's tiny body. "They're taking you away!" she sobbed. "OH! How could they?"

Christine embraced Sister Marcy back and stayed on her lap, until Sister Abby entered the chamber and asked, "Is she ready yet?"

Upon seeing Sister Marcy in her state, Sister Abby couldn't hold herself back any longer and ran the short distance to embrace the two. They knew this day would come, but never thought it would come this soon. They have raised her for nearly five years, and now, complete strangers - though they are her real family - are coming to take her away from them. The sisters sobbed as memories of them and the child in their arms resurfaced: of them holding her as an infant, of when she took her first steps, of her when she said her first word...

"Sisters' please! They've become impatient." said Sister Parker, who was standing at the threshold of the door.

The two sisters' kissed Christine's ebony head and reluctantly released her.

"Honestly, I can't believe you forgot to brush her hair." exclaimed Sister Parker, taking the brush from the nightstand and ran it through her soft curls. "Come, follow me." she said in a deep, commanding voice, leading Christine out of her chambers and into the hall. Sister Marcy and Sister Abby sodded louder as they watched her marched off. When they reached the front of their Mother Superior's office, Sister Parker gazed down at Christine. She took the silver cross pendants from around her neck and placed it on Christine. "I'll miss you, my little lamb." she whispered, kissing her head. Straightening herself, Sister Parker knocked on the wooden door and opened it for Christine to enter.

"Christine." said Sister Jane the Mother Superior, motion for her to enter.

As Christine made her way to her seat, she saw two men already seated and they were following her every move without blinking. The one sitting on the left had seemed quite tall, and young, with long blond hair, and gentle silver eyes. He was wearing a black tailored suite, which to Christine, don't look right on him at all. The one sitting on the right also had blond hair but his was a shade darker and had curls, and he was also wearing a proper suite, though his was blue and his eyes were green.

"Hello, dear." said the man in the blue suite, "I am your Uncle Hermes and this," he waved at the man in black, "is your Uncle Ash Ketchum."

Ash smiled warmly at her, ignoring Hermes' pop culture reference. "Actually, it's Acheron Parthenopaeus, but you can call me Ash. Your dear Uncle Hermes here likes to joke."

Hermes chuckled, which Christine found was annoying for some reason, and hit his hand on the armrest. "Oh Ash, must you be so serious all the time?"

Ash ignored Hermes and focused his attention on Christine. "We are here to take you home." he informed her.

"Yes." replied Sister Jane, "It seems both of your uncles are offering to house you."

"But we just couldn't decide who will take you." said Hermes.

"So, we are leaving the decision up to you." added Ash. "It's completely your choice."

Christine looked from Ash to Hermes, and then turn to Sister Jane, "May I speak with my uncles, alone please?"

Sister Jane was hesitate at first but complied with her request and left the chamber.

"Who are you and what do you want?" demanded Christine.

Hermes burst into laughter and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. "I knew she'd see right through this."

"Never doubted her." murmured Ash, sighing in relief after loosening his tie. Tory, his wife, had suggested he wear the suite since he was going into a convent. She said that if he arrived there clad in his usual leather, biker gear, he wouldn't be admitted in or even get pass the gates for that matter. Not that it would stop him.

"You're not my uncles are you?" stated Christine.

"Of course not." said Hermes. "In fact, I'm your ex-boyfriend." he snapped his mouth shut, regretting what he had revealed to her. Hermes mentally cursed himself. He loved and hated that she had this effect on him. After all these years, one would think he'd get over her by now. The skins of his chest were tingling by the sight of her. But not for reasons one would think.

Christine was taken aback by this knowledge and looked the man over. "How?" She was only five years old and he looked as if he's in his twenties.

"A very good question." said Ash.

Christine turned to Ash. "And who are you to me?"

Ash opened his mouth and closed it. "Well...we are... acquaintance."

"Will, isn't that a delicate way of saying you ruined her life." said Hermes, with a smirk. He hoped she'd interrogate Ash and learn the role he played in her life and she'd get angry enough that she'd reject his offer to live with him.

Ash glared at Hermes and guiltily looked Christine's round little face. She was confused as would anyone be in this situation, yet her eyes told him she understood what they were telling her. Her memories maybe lost but her self-awareness and powers are still there and deep down she knew that they were telling her the truth.

"How did you ruin my life?" asked Christine.

"Yes, Ash. Tell her." Hermes was grinning ear to ear. He'll have her back and living with him in no time. He would finally get to hold her in his arms!

Ash sighed. He didn't think they were going to getting into this so soon. If anything, he wanted to wait until she's at least a teenager before she starts hating him. How could he tell a five year old he caused her to be cursed and ruined her life?

"If you're so uncomfortable about it, you can tell me later." suggested Christine.

Hermes and Ash stared at Christine in shock. "How very..." Hermes' voice trailed.

"Understanding of you." Ash finished.

Christine responded with a nod and turn to Hermes. "You said you were my ex-boyfriend? If so, what happened?"

Hermes was caught off guard and didn't know how to answer her question, without her rejecting him, again. "Ubmm...we...how about we speak about this later, alone. I'll explain everything to you." he half promised. As if he'd tell her everything. If she knew the truth, she'd dump him, again, but that's the least of his worries. As long as she doesn't remember the vows she made him make, everything's good.

"You've got three days." said Christine, "Make up your minds, and tell me the truth and details of your relationship with me. Afterwards, I'll decide who I will live with."

"All right," Ash and Hermes agreed.

"You always know how to take control...my beautiful Queen." thought Hermes, longingly.

"During the three days, I want to be left in peace. That means I don't want to see a trace of either of you." Christine told them point blank.

Both men agreed to her terms and took their leave, vowing they would return in three days.

%

"The poor bastard..." said Fury, a were-hunter wolf with an animal heart, who could shape-ship into a human.

"I feel him." said Fang, Fury's long lost brother he reunited with.

"I hate being in his shoes." said Dev, a were-bear and Fang's brother-in-law.

The were-hunters watched their friend Nick Gautier sitting at a table in the corner, hiding under the shadows. He had a full bottle of beer on the table. Yet he hadn't even taken a sip, only putting it close to his mouth then placing it back on the table, shaking his head. It was as if he truly wanted to drink it, but was resisting the urge.

"He brought it on himself." said Sasha

The were-hunters turn to look at him.

"Will, he did." protested Sasha, "It was his fault. If he hadn't made that pack with Stryker, Queen wouldn't have to sacrifice herself to cleanse him of their connection."

Fury laughed, "He has to wait until she's of legal age to start hitting on her. You reap what you sow." he held his bottle of beer up in a cheering gesture.

"Technically, she's over nine thousand years old." said Dev.

"But she reincarnated," said Fang, "which makes her...what? Four now?"

The were-hunters cringed at the thought.

"Hopefully those hideous scars on her face didn't follow her to this life." said Dev.

"I don't think those were scars." said Fang.

"If they weren't scars than what were they?" asked Dev.

"Black paint or something," said Sasha, "she put them on herself to mess with Hermes. Astrid said it was something about, not letting him see her face?"

"She did it because Hermes was always spouting nonsense poems about her beauty and wanted to shut him up." said Tory as she and Amiee, Fang's mate, joined them at the bar.

Fang pulled Amiee into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, baby." She said, kissing Fang.

"Can you take it somewhere else? Please." begged Dev. He accepted their relationship, but didn't want to have first row seats to their lovey dovey moments.

Amiee ignored Dev and looked at Nick, "He doesn't look too good." she said.

"He's got it bad for her." said Fang.

"Real bad." added Fury.

"It's horrible that he never had a chance to confess his feelings to her before..." said Amiee.

"The only good thing about it is that she's solid now." said Fury.

"Yeah, he can actually touch her." said Sasha.

The were-hunters all turned their heads and looked at Sasha. "I didn't mean it that way!" he said quickly, taking a long drink of his beer. "Jeez! Nothing but filthy minds around here!"

Nick sat at a table in the far corner of the bar and restaurant known as Sanctuary, nervously waiting. Nick felt like he was dying inside - the wait was killing! He should be a little more enthusiastic after finally turning back into his old self and reuniting with his best friend, but he wasn't. He was happy that he and Ash finally made up, yet the events that happened afterwards had him twisting in agony. He had once again lost another woman he cared for and she was the last person he thought he would ever fall in love with. But the more he thought about it the more he began to understand why he had fallen in love with her. She was the one who stayed by his side in his time of need and showed him the truth. She had brought him peace, and took away his pain. She had saved him from making the biggest mistake of his life by scarifying her own self. And never had she lied to him!

During the beginning of the five years sentence, Nick thought time was going by tortuously too slow and begged Ash to tell him where she was. But Ash hadn't sensed her powers yet, therefore he couldn't locate her accurate location because of the spell she had used to protect herself from those who would try to manipulate her. And now, things are going way too fast. Ash finally located her and left to find her before their enemies do. He and Troy plan to adopt her and teach her how to control her powers, hoping that in the near future that she would cooperate with him when she becomes her true self once again. That is, if she could ever get over her dislike of Ash, when she remembers.

Ash flashed into the bar and ordered a beer.

At the sight of Ash, Nick became frantic. What if she doesn't like him? He didn't even want to think about that! All he wants to think about is finally being able to touch her, to feel her warmth, and run his hands through her black curls and... Nick gripped his bottle of beer. But he couldn't do all the things he wanted to do, not until she's older. He may be a lot of things but he's no child molester.

Tory came beside Ash, and noticed that he had returned alone as did everyone else. "Ash?"

"Hermes was there." said Ash

"How'd he find her?" asked Dev.

Nick stayed in his seat, carefully listening to their conversation. He didn't want to seem too eager to hear of her news.

"He was closely watching and waiting for her to use her powers as were we. Just a spark was all it took."

"And?" asked Tory.

"I'm going back in three days. She'll make her decision only after I tell her the truth about our past together."


	2. Lacy

To clarified a few things: The main character is an OC. Daughter of Hades and Persephone. I got the idea of a character from the Underworld because I want to have a means to punish the characters I dislike without consequences. Because eventually, everyone is going to die and go straight to the Underworld for judgment. She's the daughter of Hades; he going to teach her a thing or two about justice and means of punishing the sinners. And sorry ahead of time if I get some details wrong. I haven't read Acheron's book yet, I'm 12th on the waiting list. But I am picking up details from the previews at these web sites I found. I read the first half of Acheron, Ryssa's diary, and almost cried for him. You don't know how bad I wanted to skip it, but I have to know! I couldn't stop reading... and screamed when the preview was over.

Also I'm looking for a beta if anyone is interested. I have a usual beta but she's doing 5 of my other stories, and I don't want to overload her, with her schoolwork and all.

%

_Nick tossed over another long sip of his beer, and then choked when he felt something hard fell into his mouth and down his throat. Putting the bottle down, Nick spit out what felt like a pointy rock on the table, but it was not. It was a miniature figurine of Batman. Cautiously, he picked the figurine up and looked it over. There was nothing special about the figurine. It was a common object. He glanced at the half empty bar and restaurant, trying to find anyone suspicious. There were four large men in leather drinking at the bar on his right, a woman reading a book on his left, a couple leaning against one another near his front, and table full of women near the stage. An echoing giggle was heard from behind him. Nick turned around, no one was there, but he could tell by the sound of the laughter that it belonged to woman. Great, with his dating past it could be anyone._

_"So much for god powers, huh?"_

_Nick's head snapped to his right and found a woman sitting next to him. The mystery woman's face was shrouded by the shadows and no matter which angle Nick inclined his head; he could not see it. But he could see the rest of her. She was dressed in a pink top, with black laces that crossed in the center, black skirt, fishnet stockings, and black boots. The style of her out-fit remained him of Simi's, Ash's demon daughter who he accidentally slept with. That reminder should have been a clear warning he should leave that instant. He should have flash out of there, but he was too intrigued by this woman. How was she able to sit next to him without him noticing or sensing her presents, even now?_

_"Who are you?" asked Nick._

_"Lacy." She answered, and giggled once again, "I was sitting here for a good half hour. You know, if I desired it, I could have killed you."_

_"And the reason you are haven't tried?" Nick sarcastically asked._

_"I'm not here for you." said Lacy, "Besides, I was just curious." she shrugged._

_Nick took another look at Lacy and asked, "What are you?"_

_Moving out of the shadows, Lacy revealed her half-painted face. Her markings resembled that of claw slashes. I fell from the left side of her eye down to her right cheek, covering a large percentage of her face. If she were a man they would have made her appear fearsome, but as a woman; they made her look__ brutish. It promoted Nick to wonder if she was an Amazon. _

_"Relax," She said._

_"How can I relax when you're not answering my question?" Nick retorted. He was angry that he wasn't able to sense what she was. Was she another Dark-Hunter or Were-Hunter? Or was she a Daimon or a demon or a Daimon demon?_

_"All right, fine. If you're so determined to know," Lacy said, lazily, "I am but a wondering soul."_

_"A ghost?" said Nick, "And what are you doing here, ghost?"_

_"My job," she replied, "but I'm on break right now. So I thought I'd come see what all the excitement is about."_

_"What excitement?" Nick curiously asked._

_"You."_

_"Who sent you?" Nick demanded. He was alert and ready to attack._

_Lacy laughed. "No one. I came of my own according." She sighed, "For the first Daimon Dark-Hunter, I thought you'd at least be powerful…how disappointing…"_

_Disappointing was he?_

_Nick narrowed his eyes at her. He was too angry by her insulting him too realized that she knew what little people should know._

_"If it was about earlier – you caught me off guard!" Nick shot off of his chair, glaring at the ghost._

_Lacy continued to laugh at him, which was fueling Nick's anger. __And something was telling Nick that Lacy was no ordinary ghost.__ Who- what was she really?  
_

_"That's the point. If I was able to catch you off guard, then others can as well."_

_"What are you? Answer me!"_

_"I told you. I'm a soul," replied Lacy, "But it just so happens, my father is a god. He allowed me to keep some of my powers after I died."_

_"Oh, you're one of Zeus' bastards?"_

_"Met many of them have you?"_

_"Only a few. I don't have enough free time to travel the world like _that_."_

_Lacy smiled at his sarcasm. "Zeus would be the obvious candidate you would think of. But alas, he's my grandfather."_

_Apollo would be his next guess. Then again most of the gods are just as promiscuous as anyone human; her father could be anyone of them._

_"Don't bother yourself with my parents." Lacy told him, looking at the clock, she said, "My break is over. I have to go. Nice meeting you."_

_"Wait!" Nick called, but she was gone._

%

Nick laughed as he thought back to the night of his and Lacy, who is now, Christine's first meeting. They officially met that night at Sanctuary in the exact table he's sitting at now. Though Lacy appeared solid and living, she really was a ghost. On one of their many encounters, Lacy revealed to him that she died from a curse that broke every bone in her body. Hades, her father, used his powers to keep her soul from wonder off with the others and gave her a portion of his powers encase a Daimon tried to devour her. Hades also decreed that if anyone wanted to speak to her he or she had to make an offering of some sort and Lacy had to decide whether she wanted to accept it or not. The Batman figurine Lacy had slipped in his bottle was his offering to her. It was passage so that she could have an exchange of words with him and that was all he could do. He could speak to her but he could not physically touch her as could anyone else.

Nick also learned that Lacy had known him since he became a Squire. Being a recruiter for Artemis, who was too lazy to actually go to every vengeful human out there herself; Lacy knew every Dark-Hunter and Squire ever made. None of the Dark-Hunters have never sensed or seen her, because they never made a offering directly to her and received permission from her. Lacy hadn't told him then, but she was a mercenary paid by Artemis, to keep an eye on one of her handmaids, Satara. Artemis suspect that Satara was plotting something behind her back and told Lacy to watch her and make certain she doesn't get in her way. Nick learned of this after Satara's death.

Nick grasped the bottle of beer in his hand. Every time Lacy visited him, she would place an object in his bottle or food and he would nearly choke on it. Lacy was gone now, but Nick was still weary of finding questionable objects in everything he planned to eat. If he did find something, then he would need to go to the bar and have a talk with the bears about how they handle their food. Paying for his untouched drink and went to a corner and flashed out of Statuary to Kyrian's for a short visit.

%

Delighted that they could have her for the next three days the sisters of the church decided to spend it doing everything Christine wanted, which was gardening. The sisters' loved and adore Christine, because to them she was the picture of perfect innocence and thought to be a gift from God. Christine was a well behaved child and easily taught. She always did what she was told and never once gave them trouble. Every day she would finish all of her chores and schoolwork and tended to the garden she has been nurturing around the church grounds. All the flowers she planted would grow large and be the most beautiful they have ever seen.

"Christine." Said Sister Marcy, while she helped Christine water the garden.

Christine placed the watering can down and gave her full attention to Sister Marcy. "Yes." She replied.

Sister Marcy knelt to Christine's eye level and asked, "Have you decided who you'll stay with yet?"

Christine blinked and inclined her head, taking a closer look at the elder woman. After a brief silence, Christine answered her, "Yes."

"Have you?" inquired Sister Marcy for certainty.

"Yes." she repeated, "Sister, the daisies are drowning."

Sister Marcy looked downward and saw that she had knocked the watering can over, when she had knelt and all the water was spilling over her. "Oh, shit!" she exclaimed and pushing the can away from her.

Sister Abby gasped and placed her hand over her heart.

"Sister Marcy!" the other sisters' exclaimed, tapping their right shoulder to their left and their forehead to their chest.

"I…I'm sorry." Sister Marcy quickly apologized, clumsily imitating everyone's actions. "I don't feel quite well today, you see. I think it's the heat." She said, wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead.

"But Sister, there's such a cooling wind today." Said Sister Abby.

"And you're under the tree's shade." added Sister Parker.

"Then I must be running a fever." Said Sister Marcy before she fainted.

"Sister!" exclaimed Sister Abby.

Christine stood and watched as Sister Marcy was carried away to her personal chambers. She saw that her face was pale and looked like she really was running a fever, in contrast to before.

"I hope she will be all right." Said Christine.

"I'm sure it is just a mild fever." Replied Sister Parker, "God will see her through the aliment."

Christine smiled at the elder woman and continued her gardening. After the day had ended, Christine went to visit Sister Marcy, who was fast asleep on her bed. Christine pulled the sheets back and climbed into the bed. She wrapped her arms around Sister Marcy's tarsal and laid her head on the sleeping woman's chest.

Christine stayed awake the whole night and thought of the two men, Ash and Hermes. It seems to Christine that both had wronged her in one way or another and is offering to take her in to atone for their guilt. Though, Ash was the only one she saw that held guilt in his eye… As for Hermes. His eyes held something completely different. She couldn't describe what it was, but to Christine, it felt very familiar.

%

Ash was straightening the collar of his suite, while Tory was deciding which dress to wear. She wanted it to be appropriate for the church and also impress Christine, whose original name was Leuce. Lacy as she preferred to be called, was quite friendly toward Tory, before she became Christine - despite her indifferent feels toward Ash and constant attempts to avoid him.

Tory would have gone with Ash to pick up Christine, three days ago, but he told her that he wanted to go alone. Ash wanted to apologize for what he had unintentionally done thousands of years ago and for the pain he caused her. But when he arrived, and saw Christine an innocent child, and not Lacy. Ash realized that he could not properly apologize to her. It would not mean anything to either him or her.

"Nick." said Ash as he pressed the talk button without out looking at the phone.

"Ash, come over to Kyrian. There's something important you should hear."

Ash hung up the phone and told Tory the change of plans.

Flashing to the living room, Ash released Tory and faced Kyrian, Amanda, Tabitha, Nick, who were waiting for him. Nick told Ash that he overheard a conversation between Amanda and Tabitha. Amanda thought she was pregnant again after having the same dream for three straight nights. But Nick suspected that it was something else, therefore he called Ash.

"In my dream, I am in this stunning garden, surrounded by flowers." Amanda began, "I see a beautiful little girl with black curly hair, and brown eyes. She was playing with Marissa." Amanda smiled as she thought of the girl, "She smiled at me and told me her name was Christine."

"Are you certain she said Christine?" Ash wanted to be sure.

"Yes, Christine." Said Amanda, "Oh, Ash, it was so vivid. I remember everything."

Tory turned to Ash, "Do you think she dreamed it herself or did Christine show it to her?"

Amanda looked from Ash to Tory, "What do you mean? You two know Christine?"

"Yes, Amanda, we do." replied Ash, "Christine is Lacy."

"Mom! Dad!" shouted Marissa, running into the room. "Look what Christine gave me." She said, holding her hands up for them to see.

Everyone froze and exchanged suspicious glances, after hearing Marissa say the name Christine.

"That's lovely sweetheart." said Kyrian, putting her on his lap.

"It's very pretty." said Amanda.

"Let me see." said Tabitha leaning forward, "Oh! It's a samara." She said, noting the spread wings to the lump of its seed.

"Marissa, where did you get this from?" asked Ash.

"Christine." replied Marissa as she gently ran her fingertip over the soft wings.

"Christine from school?" asked Amanda.

Marissa shook her head, "No. Christine doesn't go to my school."

"Then where did you meet her?" asked Ash, though he already knew the answer.

"I met her in the garden." replied Marissa, looking to Amanda, "You were there mommy." She slid off Kyrian's lap and was about to walked out of the room, when Tabitha caught her.

"Rissa," said Tabitha, "where are you going?"

"I need to plant this." stated Marissa, holding up the plant, "Christine said it will grow into a big Ash tree -Oh," she tilted her head as if to remember something. She turned to Ash, "And she said you don't have to pick her up anymore."

"Why doesn't he?" demanded Nick, who has been silent throughout this whole exchange. He was near panic when he knew that she was coming and now she's not coming? His emotions are running wild. He's dying to see her, yet was glad that he's not.

"Yes, why not?" asked Ash, he was curious to know of this as well.

"Her aunt took her already, last night." She said it in a way that meant that he should have already knew it.

"Aunt?" murmured Tory.

"Did she tell you anything else, Rissa?" asked Amanda.

Marissa bit her bottom lip, and nervously glanced at Nick.

"Rissa," Kyrian said sternly, "what else did Christine tell you?"

"Yes, what did she tell you?" asked Tory. She was curious as to what happened between Ash and Lacy. From the bits and pieces that she and Tabitha could gather, they figured out that Ash met Lacy over thousands of years ago and unknowingly placed a curse her, destroying her life and killing her. Though, Tory heard from Kat, Ash's daughter; that Ash was angry at Lacy for something she did to him and accidentally cursed her. What the curse is, neither Ash nor Lacy has clarified it as of yet, and Kat didn't want to tell anyone out of repeat she had for the both of them. Tory, Tabitha, and many others are dying to know what the curse is.

Marissa walked to Nick and took a miniature Batman from her pocket. "She said to give this to you."

Nick immediately recognized the figurine. It was the same one Lacy put in his beer bottle, on the night they first met.

"Ash," said Amanda, who realized that she was inside Marissa's dream for the past three nights.

Ash didn't respond because he already flashed out of the room in search of Christine. Nick flashed himself out of there are well, leaving Tabitha and Tory on edge to know what was going on and Kyrian and Amanda puzzled.

%

"Artie…"

"Hello Ash," Artemis playful greeted him.

Ash should have known that she would pull something like this. Artemis would not let Lacy live out her human life in peace, if it was to her gain. Ash sighed as he saw Christine sitting on a large cushioned couch next to Artemis, surrounded by toys. Artemis had altered Christine's appearance. Christine's curly black hair was changed to straight blonde and her eyes were swirling silver. It seemed Artemis had made Lacy into a female, miniature version of him. What a way for Artemis to psychologically play with him.

"Bored with the human already?" teased Artemis.

"Not the least bit." Ash smugly replied. "In fact was thinking of asking her to a second honeymoon."

Artemis huffed at his response and retaliated by sliding an arm a little closer to Christine. She grinned when she received the desired effect from Ash, who was pinning her with a warning, yet helpless, glare. Artemis simply laughed at this and put her arm on Christine's shoulder.

Leuce was right... Thought Artemis. Ash's compassion was not working for her like it use too, so the next best thing for her to use against him was his unyielding guilt. Ash's guilt and shame would force him to seek out Lacy in her human form and try to make amends for his past deeds. Lacy knew that Ash would come looking for her as soon as he could sense her powers. She and Artemis planned it out before she reincarnated and everything was going accordingly.

"Come now, Ash." Said Artemis, "Don't look like that. You knew me and Leuce were good friends. I would never hurt her." She had her doubts about this plan of Lacy, but after seeing Ash in this vulnerable state. Artemis thought it was worth giving up Nick in all aspects as an exchange. It was not as if she was going to miss him. The ex- Squire had his skills, but he was no Acheron. Lacy didn't guarantee her Ash. She did, however, offer her an opportunity to have him back.

"Of course you wouldn't hurt her." Replied Ash, "If Lacy was gone, who would do your dirty work for you?"

Artemis hated to admit it, but Ash was right. She needed Lacy alive and well, she's the only being that Artemis knew who would do her bidding to perfection. Before they use to be free services, since Lacy was so grateful to her for providing her protection in her temple after Hermes kidnapped her from the Underworld. But that changed not too long after - thanks to Hades and his meddling judges - Lacy realized that Artemis was manipulating her and placed a price on everything she asks her to do. Artemis was livid at the boldness. After all she did for her, the girl dare charge her! Artemis may not enjoy paying such high and bewildering prices, but she couldn't argue with the results.

"Artie, is he a friend of yours?"

Artemis looked down at the human child and then at Ash, "No, he's not." She inched closer to her ear and said, "His that evil man I told you about."

Lacy gasped and tried to hide behind Artemis.

"Christine," said Ash, but she didn't respond to him and merely pressed her face into Artemis's back. Ash turned to look at Artemis and arched an eyebrow.

"Those boring old nuns have no creativity, Christine?" Artemis scoffed. "And don't bother using them against her."

"I take it, you took the liberty of ridding her memories of them." replied Ash.

"Such sentiments would only get in the way." Artemis smiled, and pulled Lacy from her back and put the trembling child on her lap. Lacy caught sight of Ash and began to cry. "There, there…" Artemis patted her back. "Don't worry, I'm here. I won't let him hurt you." she said, sending Ash a challenge look.

Lacy sniffed, clinging onto Artemis's neck and buried her face into her chest. She refused to look at Ash. Ash's heart constricted at the sight of the child's fear of him. In contrast to the first time he and she had met in this same temple. Back then, she had loved him beyond all means and was willing to do everything for him. He should have known that Lacy would not hurt him, not purposely. He regretted ever saying those harsh words to her that day and making her life miserable.

Ash took one last regretful look at Lacy and flashed out of Artemis's temple. He vowed that would not return and fall into Artemis's hands as she wanted. In fact, he had already thought of a plan to make certain that Lacy is safe from Artemis clutches. Ash flashed to Katoteros, where Nick was waiting for him. Nick appeared miserable and on edge, more than usual that is, and he reeked of alcohol.

"Is there something you want to show me?" asked Ash.

Nick nodded and held up the mini-Batman for Ash to see. He pressed the head and a series of glowing words shot out like bullets from a gun. Nick winced as the words enlarged and flew in front of his face once again. He's been rejected before, but never this bad. Gods, he could actually hear her screaming these soundless words at him.

_**It's over, let it end. That's all there is.**_

_**There's nothing redeeming about me.**_

_**You have no regrets or loss.**_

_**What is wrong with you?**_

_**Why do you care?**_

_**Since when was I worth so much to you?**_

_**You and I have different destinies.**_

_**Don't waste your time with me.**_

_**Stop dreaming of me. It will never be!**_

_**Don't concern yourself whether I live or die.**_

_**Leave me be, the farther the better.**_

_**Only after death, promise me!**_

_**When I do see you, things will be all right.**_

_**I go my way you go yours.**_

_**It's over! Please forget me. PLEASE!**_

_**Erase all of me. All of it!**_

_**Don't love me!  
**_

_**I have no love for you!**_

_**What is wrong with you?**_

_**Why do you care? Why do you care?**_

_**STOP DREAMING OF ME!  
**_

_**Since when was I worth so much to you?**_

_**You and I have different paths.**_

_**When I do see you, things will be all right.**_

_**I want your sincere promise, don't look for me.**_

_**Only after death, promise me!**_

_**Forget me! FORGET ME! PROMISE! PROMISE ME!**_

Ash looked over the words. "Hmm…I think she likes you."

%

The bold is actually a soundtrack I found from this foreign film I watched years ago and thought that fit well with Ash and Nick. But I changed a few words for it to be about Nick and Lacy and go with the storyline.

It's really about brothers, who use to trust and love each other. Robbers broke into their house, shot their parents; their mom dies and their dad's paralyzed waist down for life. Brother number 2 went after the robbers and shot them all, brother number 1 wouldn't give 2 the keys to the motorcycle to escape, therefore 2 got arrested and sentenced to prison. 2 thought 1 was being unfair, didn't love their parents enough to avenge them, and swore to hate 1 for life. It's a sad film and so much like Ash and Nick's relationship, you won't believe.


	3. Double bows and arrow

"Jeez, you think?" Nick said sarcastically, dropping his hand that held the figurine. He hadn't released the figurine from his grasp since he got it and it was starting to dent. He rested his head on the cold table top and withdrew himself from his surroundings.

Ash gave him a sympathetic look before turning to his right, where Kat flashed in next to him.

"Dad," said Kat, "how'd it go?"

Kat was worried about Lacy. She couldn't sleep a wink last night. Every time she closed her eyes she kept seeing memories of Lacy floating in midair in the Asphodel Meadows. Lacy was of the few who knew of hers and Artemis' relationship. Artemis often sent Kat to the Underworld for Lacy to watch her whenever Ash was in her temple. During their time together, Lacy hardly ever spoke to her or even looked at her. Lacy merely floated about as if no one was there. Kat always wondered how Lacy came to be that way, ghost like yet not and she could not feel her essences. Kat asked Ray, Lacy's keeper, for answers. But Ray didn't tell her much else besides Lacy was cursed.

It wasn't until Kat was a little older did Lacy and her had a full conversation. Lacy didn't tell her what happened. Instead she showed it to her. Lacy used her powers and let Kat see the events that led her to her fate through her eyes. Kat was appalled by what she saw and felt guilty for her part in what led to Lacy being what she was, a wondering soul. But Lacy made it clear that she did not blame Kat for anything. She told Kat she knew exactly who had wronged her.

"Artemis has her." Ash told her.

"We have to get her back!" Kat exclaimed. "Artemis will manipulate her into doing her bidding." Not that Lacy hadn't been doing it already, but this time Artemis would have full control over her.

"I doubt that," said Ash, "Artemis is using my guilt against me. For that to work she needs Lacy as innocent and oblivious as possible. She already cleared her memories and molded Lacy into being depended of her."

"I'll tell Persephone what she did. She doesn't like Lacy being around Artemis anyways. She'll tell Hades and he will do something about it."

"You don't have to." said Ash.

"What? Why?"

"I already sent word to Hades of the whereabouts of his daughter." Ash said. "He is in her temple right now." He said with a smile.

It was a family affair, and if anyone could get Lacy from Artemis without her objection. It would be Lacy's own father.

Kat clapped her hands together in excitement, but her smile faded as she caught sight of Nick.

"What's with him?"

"Rejected before he even got a chance." Ash glanced at Batman.

Kat inclined her head to see what Nick was holding in his hand. "Batman?"

Nick involuntarily pressed its head and groaned as the words shot out. He didn't want to see the words anymore but it seemed his hand had a mind of its own.

"Oh…harsh." Kat said as she looked over the words. "Who gave this to you?"

"Lacy." Answered Ash.

Kat looked at Nick and then at Batman, "Are you sure?" Kat asked, "Let me see." She took Batman from Nick and examined it.

"Did she put this in your mouth?" Kat asked Nick.

"Yeah,"

Kat burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" demanded Nick.

"Batman belongs to Lacy…" Kat laughed. "But the words are yours!"

Nick looked up at Kat, "What?"

Kat stopped laughing long enough to answer Nick. "Lacy usually flashes an item, like this, inside a person's mouth to copy their thoughts and see what they are thinking. It is how she finds out how to deal with them."

Kat waved her hand at the words. "Look close. These are your thoughts Nick, the words you wished to say…You're very indecisive." She observed.

Nick remembered it now, the night they had met. That night he was thinking that the rift between him and Ash started from him not tell him of Simi. Lacy was dressed like Simi and she teased him. But why would she do that?

He stared at the words. They were unconnected, random, and many of them repeat themselves. Are they really his thoughts? They are. He sees it now. But, the last few lines aren't his. If they're not his then…they must be Lacy's. She mixed her thoughts in with his. So only he could figure them out.

**When I do see you, things will be all right. I want your sincere promise, don't look for me. Only after death, promise me! Forget me! FORGET ME! PROMISE! PROMISE ME!**

She left him a message. She wanted him to promise he would not seek her out in this life, only after she dies. Things will be all right… Nick contemplated this. The only way he could physically touch her was when she's in her human form, but she demand he promise to stay away and forget her. But how could he? He's been dying to see her since she left. It's not like he was asking for much. He just wanted to hold her hand. Was that too much to ask?

Kat turned Batman over in different angles, studying it, before Nick took it back and flashed out of there.

"Good thing it wasn't a gold coin ..." Kat mumbled.

"A coin?" Ash asked her.

Kat tightened her lips, uncertain if she should tell him this. "Well, you see…whenever Lacy flashes a gold coin in someone or things' mouth. It means she promised to eat them."

"Promises to eat them?" Ash repeated.

Kat nodded. "I have seen her do it before." she admitted. "It was…interesting…"

"How did she eat them? She's a ghost."

Kat involuntary took a step back, avoiding Ash's eyes. She said too much and she knew she'll get in trouble if she said more. "I have to go. Sin's calling me - the baby!" She said quickly, flashing out of there.

That was suspicious… he thought. Kat's been being secretive about Lacy. She admitted to him that Lacy did not want her telling him any personal information about her. But the more Kat slipped about her the more curious Ash was to know about what Lacy's been up to for these past thousand years

"Gold coins?"

Ash remembered gold coins would appear in Artemis' temple and mysteriously disappear. Should he be surprised? When he was not in Artemis' temple, Lacy was there. Artemis and Lacy were close as Artemis claimed, Kat confirmed that. But he got the feeling there was much more to the story then both were willing to tell.

Ash sat down and closed his eyes as he rubbed them. They always had a prickling sensation whenever he thought of Lacy. He felt as guilty about Lacy as he did when he realized that he had rejected Kat when she was an infant. He kept his eyes close to rest them and felt; who he thought was Tory, tracing lines on his cheek. He grabbed her small hands and opened his eyes. He saw five year old Lacy standing next to him.

"Lacy?" What was she doing here? In a hospital gown?

Lacy smiled at him, "Double bows and arrow," she said and placed her hand on the center of his chest. "Double bows and arrow…."

"Double bows and arrow?" Ash repeated. When he blinked, she was gone and he was alone. He thought over his vision and figured she was speaking of Artemis. Double bows and arrow are Artemis's symbol. But why would Lacy tell him of Artemis? Unless she didn't mean Artemis but…his Dark-Hunters.

"Akri what's wrong?" asked Simi, "The Simi feel you heart beating fast."

"Nothing Simi," he said in a tone that meant he needed some personal time alone with his thoughts.

Ash thought of the last time he ever saw Lacy in her original form. After leaving her in the Underworld in a fit of rage; Ash never saw her again until she became Christine. For the last eleven thousand years, Lacy had gone out of her way to avoided him. But Ash realized, recently, that it was a part of her curse. He said he never wanted to see her again. Therefore he never will see her true form again. Ash truly regretted his choice of words.

During his training with Savitar he searched for her to apologize. But he could not find her, past, present, or future. It was as if she never existed. It wasn't until Savitar took mercy on him from annoyance and told Ash of her.

The day Lacy was born; the Oracles prophesied that if she were to leave the Underworld. She would die a violent death. Doomed to wonder eternity without love… neither a god nor a nymph, neither human nor a demon…

Hades and Persephone kept their daughter locked away in the Underworld to prevent the prophecy from fulfilling. But circumstance took over and the prophecy was fulfilled. Ash was a key player in her fate, being as he was the one who cursed her with these words. Back then he could barely control his powers and he was so angry. Before he knew his mistake it was too late. Try as he might he could not reverse the curse for he could not recall the exact words he said to her.

%

"Leuce."

Lacy dropped the toy blocks she was playing with and ran to hug her mother's leg. Persephone picked her daughter up and held her in her arms. Hades hugged the both of them and kissed Lacy's head. No matter how many times she reincarnates, Lacy would always remember her parents the moment she sees them.

"Artemis," Hades curtly greeted his niece.

Artemis sat on her throne, mentally cursing whoever sent word to Hades that Lacy was with her. Ash was her first guess. But that didn't matter, Lacy took into account that her parents might interfere with their plans and she told Artemis exactly what to do and say.

"Hades, Persephone, how lovely to see you." Artemis stood from her throne to greet them.

"We are here for our daughter." stated Persephone.

"Of course." Artemis forced a smiled, "But…May I ask where you will be keeping her? I am asking out of concern for her. Seeing as Leuce is human now, and if she were to stay in the Underworld for too long she'll become ill."

"Thank you for your… concern for Leuce's health." Persephone said politely, though she knew better. Her sister does not care for Lacy, not the least bit. Both, Persephone and Hades, know Artemis had a hand in what happened to their daughter eleven thousands years ago. The only thing keeping her from their wrath was Lacy's request that she have Artemis to herself. If it was not for the promise they made, Artemis' powers would have been drained and given to their beloved daughter as retribution.

"You needn't bother with where we decide to keep her." Hades coldly informed Artemis, resisting his desires to drag the lying bitch by the roots of her hair and throw her in Tartarus for all of eternity. It was not as if Zeus didn't have a spare to replace her at the rate he breeds.

Artemis continued her smiling façade, until her guests left with her prize. She let out a long frustrated breath and stomped her foot like a spoiled child demanding her favorite toy back. It just so happen she was. They were ruining everything! The longer Lacy was away from her the longer it would take for her to have Ash back. Artemis screamed. She needed Lacy back before Ash finds out she was not here and taunt her of her failure! Artemis panted, sitting back down and remembering Lacy's words. Lacy had repeatedly warned her to remain calm when her parents come for her. She predicted that they would place her in the human realm with her keeper, Ray, until she was ready to return to them. But Lacy said that arrangement could be altered, if they find the human realm too dangerous for her to live in...

Artemis smiled at Lacy's cleverness, but she was still angry at Hades and Persephone. She did not appreciate the way they looked at her like they wanted to tear at her flesh and devour her. Lacy was at fault for their and many others grudge against her. Just like when she was at fault for Sin - the bastard fucking her daughter. Lacy was the one who brought him into her temple. Artemis scowled as she thought back to that night...

%

_She was sleeping on her plush bed, having a exotic dream starring her and Ash, when she felt something hard and circular in her mouth. Spitting it out on her hand, Artemis found it to be a gold coin. Disgusted, she threw the coin across the room. It dissolved away and Lacy appeared in its place, sitting beside her on her bed. When will she stop putting coins in her mouth?  
_

_"Enough with the coins!" She groaned._

_"Artie," Lacy sang, "I'm here for my payment."_

_Artemis lazily sat up, "What payment?"_

_Lacy dramatically swooned, "Don't tell me you have forgotten already?"_

_Artemis rested her back on her headboard, not recalling whatever she was babbling about. Lacy waved her hand and scroll appeared before Artemis's face. It unfolded and the words glowed brightly. Artemis eyes widen as she looked them over._

_"What? But you can't have my body!"_

_"You're signature," Lacy pointed at the bottom of the scroll. _

_It was her signature all right, but Artemis wasn't about to hand over her body that easily and Lacy knew it._

_"Come now, Artie." Lacy coaxed, her hair ebony hair melting into blonde and her brown eyes altering into Ash's swirling silver ones as she leaned closer to her, "It's not like I am going to keep it forever. Just a day or two…I won't do anything…inappropriate…I promise…"_

_Artemis had to admit the nymph knew how to imitate her Ash's seductive movements and speaking pattern. To think Lacy had no contact with him for centuries, yet she still remembered his mannerism so well. Especially his eyes, it was as if Lacy truly was mirroring Ash's eyes. And Artemis was melting, if only the real Ash would look at her like that._

_The words slipped out before she knew it, "All right...but –but you -_"

_"Yes…"she let the simple words slide from her tongue and washed away every thought from Artemis' mind._

_"Nothing," she breathed, lying back on her bed and closing her eyes. "Take me…" Artemis told her, imaging the real Ash was above her. _

_A chill ran through her spine and she was felt like she was floating. Artemis' senses were on shut down and all she ever did was drifted thought water like substance. She was like a feather gliding through the wind. There were no heavy feelings of duties or responsibly and she loved it. She missed the feeling when Lacy exit from her body and returned to the Underworld. But that was soon replaced by the arrival of the divine Sumerian god of the moon and fertility, Sin. _

_Apparently, while Lacy was in her body, she visited the regions when the Sumerian pantheon reigned and caught the attention of Sin. He followed Lacy to Artemis' temple and threw himself at her feet. They became friends. Lacy left Artemis' body a few days later, but Sin did not notice the difference in personalities and pursued Artemis, the real one. _

%

"Hermes," Artemis said him as he entered her temple.

"Artemis?" He asked for reassurance.

Artemis frowned, "Yes, it's me. Who do you think it is?"

Hermes inclined his head and studied Artemis' eyes to make certain. He did not want to be caught off guard again. "Leuce."

Artemis laughed. "Oh. I forgot!" she laughed even louder than before.

Hermes crossed his arms over his chest. "It was not that funny."

"Yes it was. You were such a fool." Artemis taunted him. "Twice she got you – wait no! Three!"

Hermes scowled. Nine thousand years ago, Leuce finally forgave him for kidnapping her and they began their relationship. Though there was a disadvantage in his part, seeing as his girlfriend was untouchable. He tried to make it work he did. He loved her so much it hurts. But he just couldn't handle celibacy for that long. Leuce had caught him cheating on her and enacted her revenge by possessing Artemis. She went to him to show that he could finally touch her now. He was so excited by the knowledge that they could finally have sex, he didn't even care she was in his sister's body.

She pulled him on top of her and asked if they could role play. She said to call her Artemis instead of Leuce and for him to alter his appearance. She wanted him with blond hair, tall, with silver eyes and his name was Ash. That should have been a red light for him to stop. But he was so horny he said yes to everything she asked him for. Apollo and Dionysus just happened to visit and saw them. Both went insane and started attacking him, while Leuce stood on the side lines and watched in amusement. It wasn't until they tried to castrate him did they realize who he really was.

"Are you finished?"

Artemis wiped the tears from her eyes, "No!"

"Artemis!"

"Yes," she chuckled.

"WHERE IS SHE?"

"Who? Leuce?"

"Yes, Leuce."

"Her parents took her."

"What?" Hermes was outrage, "But you said you'd keep her in your temple for me!"

She did, but she did not take in account that Hades would come so fast. Even though Lacy repeatedly told her not to let Hermes get involve, Artemis did it anyways. She and Lacy were close, but Artemis was always wary of her. Some of the time she thinks Lacy was secretly plotting against her. Artemis didn't want to take chances. She contacted Hermes and bargained with him, using Lacy as the reward.

"Calm down, I'll get her back. Soon."

%

Persephone securely held Lacy in her arms as she followed Hades into the hidden chamber where they kept their most precious treasure, their daughter's body. For over eleven thousands, Hades and Persephone had kept Lacy's original body preserved in a stone coffin to wait the day it was fully healed and Lacy could inhabit it once again. When the curse took effect, Lacy's body was damaged beyond repair that her soul could not return to it. And the more they try to heal her the worse it got. It pained both of them to helplessly watch as their twelve your old daughter lay dying in their arms and there was nothing they could do. Her soul aimlessly wondered through various realms, until Hades finally located it. He and his wife transferred a portion of their powers to her in order for her to retain a form, whether it was ghost like. But their powers together were not enough. Despite that Lacy found a perfect solution...

Hades removed the lid and smiled down at what he saw, "She's fully healed."

"Really? You're not lying?" Persephone held her breath and lead Lacy up the steps to the coffin to see for themselves. "Oh, Leuce look!" she was relief to not see her daughter's body no longer twisting in odd angles like the last time she saw it eleven thousands years ago. She was so horrified back then, but held her to her chest and begged for Hades to do something. He simply sedated Lacy to relieve her from the pain and placed her in the river.

Lacy leaned over her old body and studied her face. "She looks like you." she said to Persephone.

Persephone smiled, "That's because she's my daughter. She's you."

"Me?"

"Yes," replied Persephone. "You are my perfect little nymph."

"Yes," Hades nodded, "Just one more part and it'll be perfect."

For Lacy's soul to return to her body they needed the part of her that was missing, because without that particular part Lacy would not be the same. They searched high and low for it but still no luck. But they did not let that stop them from saving their child. If the part could not be found, they just have to find a replacement.

"Remember Leuce," Persephone cupped her face, "double bows and arrow."

Hades conjured the image of a double bow and arrow for Lacy to see.

"Double bows and arrow," Lacy obediently chanted, staring at the image, "double bows and arrow, double bows and arrow, double bows and arrow…"


	4. Dying Young

_After he ascended the throne of Crete, Minos struggled with his brothers for the right to rule. Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull, as a sign of approval. He was to sacrifice the bull in honor of Poseidon but decided to keep it instead because of its beauty. To punish Minos, Aphrodite made Pasiphaë, Minos' wife, fall madly in love with the bull from the sea, the Cretan Bull. She had the archetypal craftsman Daedalus create a hollow wooden cow for her. Pasiphaë climbed into this wooden cow in order to copulate with the white bull. The offspring of their coupling was the monstrous Minotaur. The Minotaur was a mythological beast__,__ known to have the head of a bull and body of a man. Pasiphaë nursed him in his infancy, but he grew and became ferocious; being the unnatural offspring of man and beast, he had no natural source of nourishment and thus devoured the flesh of man for sustenance. Minos, after getting advice from the oracle at Delphi, had Daedalus construct a gigantic labyrinth, which __was__ an elaborate maze-like construction to hold the Minotaur._

_King Minos of Crete had waged war with the Athenians and was successful. He then demanded that, at seven year intervals, the seven most courageous youths and the seven most beautiful maidens were to board a boat to Crete to be devoured by the Minotaur._

_Theseus, prince of Athens, volunteered to slay the Minotaur and free his people of Mino's sacrificial demand. He took the place of one of the youths and set off with a black sail, promising to his father, Aegeus, that if __he was__ successful he would return with a white sail._

_With the aid of princess Ariadne, the daughter of Minos who fell in love with him at first sight, Theseus found his way through the Labyrinth using the ball of string she had given him. After slaughtering and beheading the Minotaur, Theseus used the string to escape the Labyrinth and managed to escape with all of the young Athenians, who were sent as __a__ sacrifice to the monster, and Ariadne as well as her younger sister Phaedra. But as he sailed back to Athens, the god Dionysus appeared to Theseus and told him that he had already chosen Ariadne for his bride, and to abandon her on the island of Naxos for him to claim…._

Ariadne closed her book, no longer able to read it. It enraged her every time she read this tale of lies. Modern writers got the story wrong. It was Hermes, not Dionysus, who ordered Theseus to abandon her on the island. And it wasn't even_ her _that Hermes desired. Hermes told Theseus to leave her sister, Phaedra, but Theseus left her in her place. It was all a plan Theseus concocted to get her out of the way so he could pursue the woman he really loved, Phaedra.

Leaving her personal chambers, Ariadne closed her door and wandered through the Asphodel Meadows as she made her way to the throne room where she was to meet with Persephone and Lacy. Seeing the other souls mechanically perform their daily tasks, made Ariadne stop thinking of Theseus for a while. The people who were sent to Asphodel were neither good nor evil while alive on earth, so their souls are treated with the absence of bias. She liked the realm for its utter neutrality. The Elysian Fields would have soothed her aching heart much more but Ariadne deemed herself unworthy of the blessed realm. The Elysian Fields was a resting place for the souls of the heroic and the virtuous, which she thought herself not.

While Lacy is human, her parents decided to send Ariadne to live with her as her guardian. Ariadne hardly left her station in the Underworld, unless Lacy summoned her there, which was the reason why she felt apprehensive about living elsewhere. With the desire to adapt to her new surroundings, Ariadne looked into the memories of recent souls who entered into the Underworld and studied them. Through their experience Ariadne knew what the essential items humans needed in order to live in the modern world. But before that she must choose which body to possess while she stays in the human realm.

Ariadne entered Lacy's personal chamber. As she floated through the chamber, she gazed at each of the maidens' faces. They were the Athenians' maidens, sent as sacrifice to Crete for the Minotaur to devour. In truth there was no was no Minotaur in Crete. When her sister, the real Phaedra was but a year old, she died in her sleep but she was revived within an hour. Everyone thought it was by the mercy of a god or goddess, because they pitted her for dying so young. Days later, Phaedra sprouted white horns on her head, terrifying everyone who saw them.

Mystified by her appearance, King Minos visited the oracles for answers. They revealed to him that his daughter was no longer with him, but the soul residing in her body was that of a god. The oracles said that if he kept her safe and nurtured her, he would be rewarded with riches beyond his dreams and great victories in battles. But they also warned him that if she were to ever be harmed, he and his people would suffer grave consequences.

Minos was pleased that he not only had the favor of a god, but an actual god was living in his palace to ensure him riches and victories. But he was ever cautious. Having no desire to let anyone, even his allies, learn of his guest and possibly steal her from him; Minos devised a scheme to ward off thieves by claiming he was raising a flesh eating creature within his palace. Thus the legend of the snow-white, Cretan Bull was created to explain why servants saw his child baring white horns. And the term Minotaur was the name Minos' invented for the illusory creature, using his own name as its prefix.

Mino commission Daedalus to construct a massive labyrinth for Phaedra, spreading false tales of his Minotaur trapped inside it. A luxurious personal chamber was created in the center of the labyrinth, where Phaedra resided with the Athenians' maidens as her handmaids. Minos knew that one day Phaedra would grow bored of being indoors for so long. To cease her desires before she had them, Minos had Daedalus design and create rooms within the labyrinth that varied from ordinarily simple to ravishingly grand.

Mino's kingdom nearly perished when Theseus convinced Ariadne to leave to Athens with him. He also coaxed her into persuading Phaedra to come with them so he could use her powers to his advantage. After they left Crete, life spiraled out of control for both women, ending tragically.

Hades was enraged to find that his daughter was no longer in Crete but died on foreign land, in a violent and dishonorable way no less. He sent a plague of famine upon the island to wipe out the civilization of Crete. Minos was distressed in seeing his people resort to cannibalism to survive and prayed to the oracles for help. The oracles told him that to appeased Hades and end his people's suffering he must sacrifice the Athenians' maidens in the labyrinth, so they could go and continue their servitude to their master in the afterlife.

After the maidens were scarified, their souls were released so they could join their loved ones, but their bodies were preserved so Lacy could possess them if needed. Since Lacy already had a new body, she had no need for them as of yet. Ariadne had her permission to possess any of the bodies she desired but was having difficulty in choosing. She honestly thought it was quite disturbing. Ariadne never thought that one day she would be picking out preserved corpses to wear like they were common garments.

The maidens varied in age, height, weight, and physical features, but one thing was certain. Each maiden was beautiful in her own way and had pale complexion, a feature shared by all the maidens since they lived indoors for so long. As a means to preserve their bodies, Hades specially told the Oracles to inform Minos to give the maidens a poison that killed them instantly and without harming their physical appearance.

Making her decision, Ariadne chose the servant she once known as Alexis, who was close to her age when she died at twenty three and with some similar features to her. She had light brown hair and green eyes. Ariadne entered Alexis' body and a nauseating sensation came upon her. An acidic taste was in her mouth and she opened it to vomit, but nothing came out of Alexis' mouth except her saliva. Alexis hadn't eaten in centuries; therefore she could not vomit out anything solid. But it didn't lessen the unpleasant burning sensation in her throat. It took her a week to get uses to having a body again.

"Ariadne," Persephone said.

Ariadne bowed to her Queen and smiled when she saw Lacy. Phaedra was Lacy's incarnation when she reincarnated for the first time. Giving into Lacy's desire to be able to enjoy the sensation of being alive, Hades found her an empty vessel. The real Phaedra died while she was a toddler, leaving her body available for Lacy to enter. In return for Minos' caring of Lacy, Hades, the god of wealth, sent him gold and jewels. Whenever Lacy planted something on the earth the plant would have gold for leaves and diamonds, rubies, or emeralds as pedals. Hades foresight was blocked by granting his daughter her wish, because of her curse, and was unable to sense and save Lacy from the unfortunate events that occurred while she was human.

"Lacy, this is Ariadne," Persephone said, "your sister." Persephone and Hades referred to Ariadne as Lacy's sister, although she really was not.

Though, Ariadne loathed Lacy when they were alive, and prayed for her demise, Lacy gave her the ability to speak after she died so she could apologize to Ariadne for stealing Theseus. Lacy fell on her knees and begged Ariadne for forgiveness. Shaking her head, Ariadne said it was her that should be apologizing. Ariadne admitted there was a time when she despised Phaedra for stealing Theseus' affections from her, though she knew it was not her fault. After thinking it through, Ariadne realized her hatred was misdirected and was ashamed of herself for having such dark thoughts that she took her own life as atonement to her sister. Reunited and understanding one another, Lacy decided to keep Ariadne with her as her keeper.

"Hello," Ariadne smiled down at Lacy.

"Hello," Lacy shyly repeated.

"You can call me Ray," Ariadne told her.

"Ray?"

"Yes, Ray. It's much shorter than Ariadne."

Lacy smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Be good for your sister," Persephone kissed Lacy goodbye before handing her over to Ray and left to her chambers. Persephone wanted to go and shop too, but she needed some time alone to think up a plausible excuse to tell Demeter as to why she did not bring her granddaughter for her to adore.

%

After purchasing and ordering a complete set of wardrobes, Ray took Lacy to a toy store. Lacy picked out every toy she wanted. Lacy wanted play with her new roller skates and told Ray she wanted to wear them now. Ray pulled the straps of Lacy's knee pads and strapped them onto her. The elbow pads were next, and then her helmet. Ray pulled at the straps to make certain they were secure. She carried Lacy outside and placed her on the ground.

"Be careful," Ray told Lacy, kissing her cheek. Ray released her and let Lacy roll down the sidewalk.

Lacy took off gliding on the cement, in tune with the wind. She spread her arms at the familiar yet alien sensation of the air brushing against her skin. Knees bent, she pulled her arms in as she accelerated. Lacy skillfully pulled her weight, circled around the stop signs and fire hydrants. Her speed dangerously increasing until her fun came to a halt by the front bumper of a foreign motor vehicle. Ray screamed as she raced to Lacy's side and held her unconscious sister's tiny, broken form. The driver pushed opened the door and stared in horror at what he had done.

"Oh my –I'm so sorry!" he shouted, "I didn't – I –I –"

"What happened?" demanded a group of tall blond men, who appeared out of thin air. Sensing their younger brother's stressful call, the Peltier brothers flashed to his side to find him pale and terrified. He was standing over a woman weeping, and holding a bloody body of a child. Seeing the license plate number imprinted on the bloody child's face, his car was on the sidewalk, and their brother chanting words of apology; the brothers could already guess what had transpired. None of them were strangers to these types of scenes and bloodshed, being Were-hunters and having enemies all around, but it shook all of them at the knowledge that one of their own actually did this.

Surprisingly, the first to tear his eyes from woman and child and speak was Rimi, the most hot headed of them. He grabbed Kyle by the collar and shook him. "What the hell! I told you not to take the car out! Now look what you did!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kyle kept chanting.

"Well you Were-bears stop shouting and help me!" Ray shouted as she picked Lacy up. "Take us to your doctor!"

The brothers did as the woman ordered and flashed them to Carson, their resident doctor's office above their bar. Carson did not waste a second when he saw the woman and child and called Margie, his assistant, to prepare a room and the supplies.

"Don't use your powers!" Ray shouted to Carson, before he closed the door.

Dev stay by the Ray's side to comfort her, while Cherif and Colt took Kyle away to calm him down. Peltiers' expressed their greatest sympathies and apologized for the accident to Ray as soon as they saw her. And they told her they could use their powers to heal Lacy, since she already knew they were Were-Hunter so there was no point in hiding their abilities.

"No," Ray shook her head, "it would only make it worse."

"How?"

The bear's questions were answered by Lacy's sharp cry of agony from the next room. Ray rushed to the room. Everyone in there was thrown to the wall by an invisible force.

"I said not to use your powers!" Ray shouted, tears falling down her cheeks as she held a struggling Lacy down. She took hold of Lacy's arms to prevent her movements and pressed her cheek on Lacy's uncut right cheek.

"You've got drugs! Sedate her!" Ray screamed over Lacy.

The cuts on the left side of Lacy's face deepen causing blood to splatter onto Ray and the walls behind her as every part of her body violently jerked and twitched. Her legs kicking the air as her left arm twisted at an odd angle, while her right held on to the metal bar on her bed.

"Mon Dieu!" the bears gasped.

"It's the Exorcist!" screamed Rimi pointing at Lacy, saying what everyone was thinking.

Carson rushed to Lacy's side and took out a syringe. Once he filled it up, he pressed the needle into Lacy's arm. Ray tearfully sang to Lacy in her creaked voice and stroked her hair back as the drug slowly took effect. The room was silent; all eyes were on Lacy's twitching form. None looked away, even when she finally stilled her movements, dropping the hold she had on the metal bar. Ray didn't let go of Lacy until her tortured cries were muffled and silent. She kissed Lacy's bloody head with a gentleness that displayed her love and devotion to her sister and turned to the occupants in the room with a murderous glare.

"I told you not to use your powers." She said coldly. Blood dripped from her face, she was looking at the Were-Hunters as if she wanted their blood as replacement for the amount her sister had lost.

Amiee stepped forward, tears staining her face. "I'm sorry…Car-Carson told me…bu-but I did it!" she cried.

"If you try to heal her with your powers," Ray began, her voice horsed from singing, "whatever kind of injuries she received will double. Are you trying to kill her to save your brother?

Amiee shrieked and Fang held her in his arms. The rest of the bears were offended, but were too haunted by the previous scene they just witness to speak and the child's screams of agony was still ringing in their ears.

"She only wanted to help her." Fang growled, defending Amiee.

"He ran her over and she," – Ray pointy glared at Amiee – "disfigured her!" she screamed, and pointed at the door, "Get out!"

Everyone marched out as ordered, except Carson and Margie. They still needed to tend to Lacy's new injuries and clean up the blood painted room. Ray stood and watched while they operated to assure that they wouldn't try to use their powers again. Normally, Carson would not let relatives into the operation room, but just this once he made an acceptation. He too was ashamed of himself for not stopping Amiee. What Ray said was true, the injuries had doubled. Now the cuts on her face were deep whereas before they were just imprints and her arm was fully dislocated when it was just slightly strained.

%

Ash flashed into the upper level of the Peltier's bar Sanctuary, where Carson's office was located. Without even asking he could tell something horrible had occurred by the haunting atmosphere clinging in the air. And for the first time, Ash could not tell what terror had befallen. It truly distressed him to be able to see from the bears' strained faces and haunting eyes, yet not see the vision himself.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Kyle, he ran over a little girl this morning." Fang told him as Amiee wept beside him. He held his mate close and continued, "We tried to heal her with our powers, but we made it worse. We called you 'cause we thought you could help."

Ash nodded and went into the room, where Lacy was placed to rest. He did not recognize her for all of the bandages lining her face and he could not sense her essence. He thought it was suspicious but, brushed it off thinking it was because the girl was injured.

"Ash," greeted Carson. He was to watch Lacy while Ray left with the excuse that she was going to inform their parents of the accident and bring them.

"Twenty stitches," said Carson, "and a dislocated arm."

Ash's left eye twitched at once and he rubbed it before summoning his healing powers. He flinched as the bandaged child sat up and her eyelids slowly opened to reveal nothing. Hollow and bare, there were no eyes in the eyes sockets. She turned her head toward Ash.

"Lacy?" whispered Ash.

All of the glass in the room shattered as Lacy opened her mouth and screamed in pain, her fresh new bandages were soaking in her blood. This time Carson was ready and stuck the needle into her arm. But the drug did not take effected and Lacy continued to scream and her body violently jerked and twisted in various angles, intensifying and more excruciating then what he had witnessed earlier.

Ash tightly shut his eyes for they were burning. When he opened his eyes again his vision was tinted in red. He looked at Lacy. She had her eyes back and they were staring accusingly at him as tears fell.

Hades flashed into the room, his hand over the body, he force Lacy's soul out. He tenderly held her soul, a small pink ball of energy, in his hand and flashed out, but not before sending a venomous look at Ash. The Peltiers ran into the room and without asking, knowing what had transpired by the sight of the tangled corpse and blood covered bed and walls. Just like when Amiee tried to heal her, Lacy reacted badly. Ash's powers killed Lacy because he was more powerful than Amiee's.

%

"You know," began Hades as Ash entered his domain, "one would say this is ironic. To relive my own child of her pain, I must place her in the very river, which bore the name of the one who caused her such suffering."

Ash's eyes prickled but he resisted the urge to rub them and wipe away the sight of the corpse of the five year old on the bed. It truly was an unforgettable scene. She was wearing a hospital gown like in his vision but there were no Dark-hunters, only Were-hunters.

"I did not mean to." He replied, unable to find the words that would soothe this grieving father and atone for the fate that had befell on his young daughter. Ash knew Hades must feel similarly – ten times the anguish - as he did when Simi was cut by the Atlantean dagger by Thanatos, Artemis' servant. But whereas Simi's pain ceased, Lacy would always feel hers for eternity as prophesied.

Hades held Lacy's soul beneath the river Acheron. He knew he should not have let her leave the Underworld, but to revive her original body she must endure this pain_. I'm sorry… after this once I swear to Styx. You'll never have to endure it again_. Hades telepathically said to Lacy, though she wouldn't be able to hear him in her condition.

"Be that as it may, her fate is sealed….I want that bear's life."

"He is young –"

"So was my child!" Hades snapped, and then speaking in a lower tone he said, "He is forever her servant this day forward, by her side. Whatever her orders he must obey, even in death."

Hades was in no mood to bargain, Ash knew that. He flashed back to Sanctuary and told them of the news, which devastated them. Kyle was one of the youngest of them and they thought him not ready to leave and venture out of their home yet. But they agreed to the condition, which they could not object. The only solace they found was that he could have suffered a poorer fate than an eternity of servitude. All of the residents of Sanctuary, be it Were-Hunter or humans, sat together and threw a farewell party for Kyle. They believed he would be residing in the Underworld and wanted to properly send him off. Sanctuary was closed for the day. Beer bottles were passed around the bar and plates of food were piled on the tables.

Kat made her way to Kyle and offered him a beer to replace his empty one.

"Thanks," Kyle said miserably.

"You'll be fine," Kat assured him, "Lacy's not so bad."_ It's her keepers he should be __worried__ about._ She thought as she sipped her beer. Lacy was injured under Ray's care and her parents weren't happy. Who would be? And Kat heard a rumor that Demeter was going to send one of her handmaids, Sara, to watch Lacy, and if Kat remembers correctly, while she was under Artemis' services. Sara was a total man hating bitch. "Good luck Kyle." She said, offering another bottle of beer. "You're going to need it."

While Kat sipped her beer, she heard Artemis calling for her, but ignored her and continued enjoying the party.

"It's like he's mated," said Angelia, Fury's mate.

"Yeah, but without the benefits of sex." remarked Fang and most of his brother-in-laws, pouring their beer on the ground in a sympathetic salute.

Kyle stared at the beer as it flowed and whimpered.

"Fang!" Amiee wrinkled her nose at Fang and he kissed it.

"What, baby?" he innocently asked.

Amiee shook her head. She had tried to scold Fang for his brutally honest nature, but so far that just ended with them kissing and doing other things. She smiled at Fang, but it faded when she thought of her younger brother moving out. But then a sudden thought occurred. If Kyle going to be in the Underworld, then he would see their parents. Tears flowed down Amiee's cheeks as she thought over the past. Her mother had died in battle, while protecting Fang, though she disliked him for being a wolf and she a bear. She lost her father as well, since the two were mated and bond that meant that if one died the other will follow. As her parents lay dying her mother finally gave them her blessing. Amiee was happy yet sad about their deaths for she blamed herself for being impulsive and causing such problems. Fang noticed that Amiees was crying and held her close. "It's all right baby," he told her as he kissed away her tears, "he'll be fine. You're parents will be there to take care of him." Amiee smiled and kissed his lips and both flashed out of the bar to their room.

"He's definitely mated," agreed Cherif with Fang, "but no doubt Hades would make sure he's impotent."

"Yeah, who in their right mind would leave their only daughter alone with a hormonal teenage male?" said Colt.

"I'd kill myself if I were him," said Quinn and thought better of it, "not that it would make a difference."

"Impotent and stuck babysitting for eternity…" Rimi snickered, "Might as well cut your own balls off and nail them to the wall."

"She's got full control over him?" Tory asked Ash.

"Absolute," he answered.

Dev took another drink of his beer before he asked, "So what? He has to ask her permission if he wants to shit or something?"

"I can't answer that," said Ash.

"What is she keeping him for? Kyle can't do anything," said Dev, "the only good he's use for is being a rug on her floor."

"If he's lucky, she'll pin him to the wall," said Fury, "that way she doesn't trip when she walks all over him."

"Or mount his head to her wall and throw his body to the hungry creatures in Tartarus." said Wren.

"She might tell him to transform into his bear form and make him do tricks on a ball." said Justin.

"Yeah! I could see him in the little hat and juggling!" shouted Colt.

While they laughed, Kyle looked at his brothers and guests. The more they talked, the worse he felt. "Is this a farewell party or a roast here?"

"A roast of course!" they said as if it was obvious he should have known.

%

"Yes, Artemis?" asked Kat, who finally got annoyed with Artemis' shrill voice constantly screaming in her head. She cocked her when she saw Artemis, alone, sitting on her throne, holding a fan in front of her face and only revealing her eyes, "What's with you?"

"What took you so long?" Artemis demanded, ignoring Kat's question.

"I'm here now so…what do you want?" Kat asked, wanting to get this over with, "Let me guess, Lacy?"

"I need to you to bring Lacy to me!"

"I can't."

"I don't care what she has! Heal her and bring her to me now!" Artemis ordered, standing up and stomping her feet. She threw her arms up and tightening her hands into balls of fist.

Without the aid of the fan, Kat could see what Artemis was trying to hide from her. "What the hell happened to your face?"

"Nothing!" Artemis said quickly, putting the fan back in place.

Kat stood mouth agape. Artemis had a set of numbers carved on her left cheek. That was when Kat remembered hearing Lacy had an imprint of Kyle's license plate on her face. "It was you, wasn't it?" she pointed accusingly at Artemis. "You made Kyle hit Lacy!"

"I did not!" she denied.

"Hades did that to your face didn't he?" Kat stated, "To avenge Lacy."

"He got the wrong person – it was Hermes!"

"If it was Hermes, wouldn't _he_ be the one sporting license plate numbers on his face?"

"Katra!" Artemis cried, "You have to help me! It won't go away!" She didn't care for the deals anymore, getting her beauty back was the only thing that mattered now. "If you can't get Lacy for me then tell her to order Hades to get these things off my face!"

Kat shook her head in frustration. "I can't – you killed her!"

Artemis eyes widen. "What?"

"She's nothing but a ball of energy right now, because she died."

"What? How? The injuries weren't that bad – I made sure -"

"So you_ did_ do it!"

Artemis continued to ignore her accusation, "What happened?" She demanded to know. She made the car, which she didn't know was Kyle's - anything close would do - swerve and hit Lacy. Then she felt her cheek painfully stinging. Gazing at her hand mirror she found the numbers slowly and painfully appearing on her face and screamed. Words appeared on her mirror:_ Let my daughter be or else!_

Kat sighed, deciding to leave Ash's part out of the story, since she knew Artemis would only use it against him. "The injuries worsen. She died from loss of blood."

Artemis shrieked. Now what was she going to do? Lacy's dead! She can't use her to bargain anymore! She screamed in anger.

Kat covered her ears to save her eardrums and flashed out of Artemis' temple.


	5. Underworld

Nick sighed as he rested his chin on his fist as he waited for his mother to arrive at their table. He really wanted to see Lacy, but she demand that he would not go see her until she dies. He wanted to respect her wishes and stay far away, which was why he was staying with his mother in the Underworld at the moment. Before Lacy reincarnated, she made a deal with Nick that allowed him to visit his mother in the afterlife if he retrieve an item for her. She refused to tell him what it was yet and Nick, in turn refused her offer. That was until Lacy actually took him into the Underworld to let him see his mother, who cried upon seeing him.

At first, Nick was skeptical, especially after Satara tried to trick him last time to do her bidding by planting false images of his mother in his head. The woman in front of him wiped her tears and scolded him about the lies he told her throughout the years in a fashion only Cherise Nicole Gautier could. Nick knew it was then that she was his real mother. He soon broke down in tears like a big baby and embraced her. Out of respect, Lacy left the reunited mother and son alone to let them sort things out.

Through her tears, Cherise told Nick how angry she was at him for lying to her all those years, not telling her what he really did for a living, making her misunderstand Kyrian for being a drug dealer, and the overall paranormal world he hid from her. But she admitted that she was proud of him for how great he had turned out, better than she had ever hoped. Nick could not stop sobbing and pressed his face into his mother's chest. They stayed that way for a long while, until Nick was able to compose himself enough to say that he was going to get her out of there and bring her back to their home. Cherise shook her head and told him that she was where she was supposed to be. Nick disagreed and vowed he would take her out of there.

Lacy appeared between him and his mother with her arms crossed. She explained to him that this was the safest place for his mother to be. Here, she was safe from those who would try to use her against him. Lacy guaranteed that down here, no one would hurt his mother or kill her again and that he could visit her whenever he liked. And he would never have to worry about her safety while he was gone ever again.

After thinking it through, Nick agreed with Lacy and his mother, and accepted Lacy's deal without a complaint. Lacy gave him a watch with thirteen hours on it. She explained to him that humans can't stay in the Underworld for too long or else they would become ill or get corrupted by the insane souls. Even if Nick was a special case, Lacy did not want him to take his chances. To see his mother he merely had to press the button on the side and he would be transported to where his mother was. Wherever he was, he would be pulled back into the human realm when the hour hand strikes thirteen. The watch would start ticking upon his arrival and ring ten minutes before he would get pulled back to the human realm as a warning.

Hell was never a place Nick thought he'd be so happy in and heaven, Olympus, was a place of torture to him. All that time he spent with Artemis, made him realize how her treatment of others must have made Ash became the way he was, grumpy and restless. And while he was with her, Artemis would talk in her sleep about Ash. Nick was surprised to learn such shocking information about Ash's past, which explained why he never wanted to speck of it to anyone. It was not quick, but over time Nick finally admitted to himself that he was wrong and searched for Ash to apologize for blaming him for the death of his mother and for not having the power to bring her back to life. Ash accepted his apology but was surprised by Nick's sudden change of heart and questioned him how he came to this revaluation. Nick merely smiled and said he met a girl who gave him a harsh reality check.

Nick had a lot of fun in the Underworld. He got to see some of his old friends, mama and papa Peltier, but many had reincarnated before he had a chance to see them again. They and many others would ask him to tell them of their children and those they left behind. Whenever he went back to the human realm he would visit Sanctuary and see how things were going and report back. He did not tell a living soul about the privilege he was given, though Lacy did not say he couldn't. He supposed he was being selfish and wanted this gift for himself. There were times though, when he was very tempted to tell, but didn't.

For once in a long time Nick was content, his anger and despair had vanished. That was until his mother introduced him to her boyfriend, Robert the doctor. Nick was jealous. He did not want to share his mother with anyone. He rudely interrogated Robert of his life and how he died, speculating that Robert was lying, which enraged his mother. Cherise demand he behave himself and stop acting so rude. Nick was angered at his mother for yelling at him and left the Underworld, pissed. Lacy went to the human world with him, watched him as he ranted about how unfair his mother was being and for all she knew Robert was lying and possibly a drug dealer who ran a underground prostitution ring in his basement, got shot and killed by a rival gang. At that point, Lacy told him that he was being unreasonable and a real momma's boy, but he didn't care.

Nick did a background check on Robert and found out all the information Robert had given him was all true. Robert was a doctor who traveled to Africa to help treat the sick children. He caught their sickness and died. There were photos of his funeral, with a room filled families who went to thank the good doctor for treating them, many times without payment. In his will, Robert even donated all of his money to various charities and his house in Florida was converted into a shelter for battered women. Nick was stunned and turned to Lacy, expecting her to tease him about his childish behavior and extreme mother complex but she did not. Instead, she told him to not presume something about a person, give them the benefit of the doubt, and to not randomly accuse people of being drug dealers or pimps.

A smile graced Nick's lips when his mother finally arrived. She was skipping to him like an energetic teenager.

"I overheard something that I think will turn that frown upside down." Cherise said, smiling ear to ear as she sat down. Funny how his mother could see right through his masked cheerfulness.

"What?" Nick curiously asked her, though nothing would make him happy than seeing Lacy again.

Cherise motioned for him to lean closer to her.

Nick complied and leaned in.

"I heard that Lacy is back."

It took Nick a few seconds to register what she had said. When he finally understood her meaning, he nearly fell off his chair.

"What?" he exclaimed, thinking he heard her wrong.

"Lacy. Is. Here." Cherise said pointing to the ground. "Down here."

"What?" he repeated, "But-but how?"

"I don't know," Cherise told him honestly, "but the others, they said they saw her floating by earlier."

Nick bolted from chair, in a frantic state. He had to find her! She was dead. He punched the air - Yes!

"Nicky, wait," Cherise said, pulling him back to her.

Nick gave his mother a pleading looked that nearly broke her heart. She knew of his feelings for Lacy, long before he knew himself and encouraged him to follow his heart.

"I also heard that she's not herself." she told him.

"What do you mean?"

She sighed, "I heard that she was so damaged by the death that she's..."

Nick anxious stared at his mother. He firmly grabbed her arms, careful not to hurt her, and demand she tell him what happened.

"I heard...she's not..."

"Mom please," he begged.

"She's a ball of energy." she repeated what she had heard.

"A ball of what?"

"Energy."

He cupped his head. Lacy was a ball of energy, which could only mean one thing. She must have had died a brutality painful death. He knew that because Lacy's aunt, also her cousin and Athena's unknown twin sister, Pallas had told him Lacy had turned into a ball of energy once, after she died the first time, thousands of years ago in Athens.

During Lacy's life time in Crete, she possessed the body of a deceased princess, Phaedra. She sprouted white horns on her head and became the origin for the myth of the Minotaur. While Lacy was human, Pallas watched over her and tried her best to help Lacy escape the curse. The curse was placed on Lacy by a powerful god. Neither Lacy nor Pallas told Nick who it was, no matter how many times he pressed them for an answer. He only knew that it made the person she loved the most betray her, or she would die a horrible and painful death, sometimes both happened.

The curse on Lacy took effect and not only did she die a horrible death, but she was also betrayed by the person she loved the most, her sister, Ariadne. Lacy jumped into a blazing pyre after Ariadne accused her of stealing her lover, Theseus. But Lacy did not, Pallas knew the truth and she swore to Nick that none of it was Lacy's fault. Lacy was a victim of fate, she said. Ariadne was just jealous that Theseus chose Lacy over her and blamed everything wrong in her life on Lacy. Pallas was livid at Ariadne's selfishness and shot arrows down to scar her face.

The pyre Lacy jumped into was erected to dispose of a herd of livestock that was infected with disease. Nick was furious, when he found out that she died in such a way. It was a complete and utterly disgrace. Nick remembered that he had cringed when Pallas told him that Lacy's screams of agony as her body burn deafened all those in the city and could be heard high to Mount Olympus and low to the Underworld. Pallas said she shivered every time she thought of it and so did Nick. Pallas was even angrier at Ariadne and Theseus with Lacy's death and cursed them both. Ariadne hanged herself and the wife Theseus found, who looked exactly like Lacy and he renamed her Phaedra, fell in love with his son and committed suicide. Theseus went into a mad rage and killed his own son.

"Do you know where she is?" Nick asked.

"Near one of the rivers, I think."

Nick rushed to the entrance of the Underworld, where the rivers flow, and stared at the rivers. Taking a wild guess, he went straight to the river Acheron. There he found what he thought to be a pink pearl, half the size of his fist, beneath the river. He reached down and pulled it up to examine it. The pearl began to glow. He reflexively released it and stared as it hovered above his palm. Without having to think, he knew that it was Lacy.

"Hi," he said softy.

The pearl jumped as if frightened and flew back into the blacken water.

"No, wait!" he exclaimed, chasing after the pearl.

The water was icy cold but he did not care as long as he could find her, nothing mattered. After being submerged underwater for so long without success, he finally surfaced and was about to go back down when he saw the pearl laying on the shore. He swam to the shore and sat down a few feet away from the pearl, wiping the water from his face. He glanced at the pearl that was motionlessly lying beside him. He looked up when he suddenly heard Lacy giggling. The sound was coming from all around him and echoed in his ears. He looked at the pearl once again and wondered if Lacy was mocking him or was it something else. The sound was much more sharp and squeakier than Lacy's voice.

"Who's there?" he shouted, while staring at the pearl.

"Clumsy..."

He quickly turned around, hearing the word whispered in his ear.

"Lacy?"

She gave him a giggling respond.

"Lacy, where are you?"

"Over here, Clumsy!"

Nick turned to see the pearl glowing on and off.

"Lacy?" he cautiously asked.

"Leuce is my name, only my mommy and daddy calls me Lacy." the pearl flashed with every word.

Nick looked down at the pearl, mouth agape. Why was Lacy's voice so squeaky and high? It was almost like a little kid's voice… His eyes widen in horror as the realization struck him.

"Leuce…how old are you?" he asked.

"Eleven,"

"Great! Just perfect!" he said to himself, cupping his head in his hands in depression.

"What is great? What is perfect?"

He turned to the pearl. The Fates are cruel bitches. Not only was she a talking pearl, but she was still underage._ On the bright side. _He thought. _At least I could touch her…no…that's not a bright side. She's eleven and a talking pearl!_

"You're a pearl." He stated.

"What? Are you planning to kidnap me? Don't even think about it - I am_ not _a pearl! I am the princess of the Underworld! And I'll have my daddy throw you in Tartarus if you try!"

Nick laughed at what she had said. Her commanding little voice was just too cute. One could definitely tell she was spoiled beyond belief by her parents.

"Why are you laughing? Stop it! I'll tell my Acheron on you!"

Nick completely stopped laughing and looked at her. "Your Acheron?" he nostrils were flaring_. Don't tell me she was Ash's ex-girlfriend? That would be just perfect!_ He thought. He slept with Ash's daughter_ and _fell in love with his ex-girlfriend!

"Is Acheron your boyfriend?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"No,"

He blinked. "So…he is not your boyfriend?" he sighed in relief.

"Of course not. Acheron is my brother."

"Brother?"

Nick felt faint. Ash was her adopted brother? He didn't know what was worse, falling in love with your best friend's ex-girlfriend or his sister. Sister's are as off-limits as ex-girlfriends are, and much worse than ex-girlfriends could ever be. If a guy dates and breaks up with his best friend's ex-girlfriend, the friends could get over it and stay cool. But if a guy dates and breaks up with his best friend's _sister_, then the friendship was over and odds are he would get a beating from the adoptive brother and the father, and the grandfather, and the grandma, and the aunts... there were too many to count, but either way he was going to get hunt down by all of them. Not that he couldn't take them on. But killing her family would make a bad impression on a girl you're trying to date.

"Yeah, my brother! And he will kick your butt if you even_ think_ of trying to steal me!"

"No, I'm not. I don't want to steal you." He reassured her.

"Then why are you here?"

"I am here because...I'm dead."

"Will duh, so is everyone else. This _is_ the Underworld."

"That it is," He chuckled, and paused for a few moments, "So...Leuce...How did you meet Acheron?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I am a friend of Acheron's."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Acheron and I are close."

"How close?"

"I know he doesn't like to talk about his past...his past as a..." Nick uncomfortably swallowed.

"Prostitute." Lacy finished for him.

Nick shuddered. He was going to say escort, but Lacy beat him to it. He hadn't told Ash he knew about it yet, because he thought it was going to be one hell of an awkward conversation. He always suspected that Lacy knew too, but she never said so. The knowledge bothered him as much as it did when his mother used to be a stripper. With all the bulling and ridicule he received growing up. He was not surprise that Ash didn't want anyone to know. Nick was upset and very much uncomfortable. He suppose because it was, well, Ash. He told Lacy with a promise to keep quiet about it. His suspicions were correct, Lacy admitted that she knew. She shrugged her shoulders when he asked her if it bothered her and simply said she lives in hell and Tartarus was her backyard. There's nothing she had not seen before.

"Were you one of his clients?"

Nick nervously laughed to mask the awkwardness of that question. He still could not rap his mind on the knowledge that Ash was a former prostitute. "No. Never!" How was a suppose eleven year old asking him such a question. Oh, yeah, she lives in the Underworld. One could only imagine how take your daughter to work day was for her. _Here sweetie, this how you whip the damned._ He could actually hear Hades saying that to her.

"Then how are you friends?"

"Why can't we be friends? You and him are friends."

"I suppose...Clumsy, if you see Acheron don't tell him I know about his work. He thinks I don't know, but I'll the princess of the Underworld. I know everything...I met him in Artemis' temple." she answered his question from earlier.

"Really?" Nick curiously asked, since this Lacy was much more open than the older one, he figured it might as well get as much information out of her as possible.

"Yes. When Hermes kidnapped me I escaped and hid in Artemis' temple. She was mad and going to throw me out but Acheron stopped her."

"Then what happened?"

"I stayed with them for awhile and promised Artemis to keep Acheron being there a secret. It was part of a game we were playing. I'd have to pretend that Acheron was invisible. I can't see, hear, or touch him, or sense his essence. It was like he didn't exist."

Nick cocked his head as he realized that it was the same thing that happened to Lacy. No one could see, touch, or hear her. And no one could sense her essence, not even Ash. It was like she didn't exist. He began to wonder if there was more to the game than Lacy was told.

"Did you like the game?"

"No, it was boring! I could not play with my Acheron like I wanted too and Artemis keeps yelling at me when I try. Sometimes she hits me."

"She hits you?" Nick exclaimed, ready to kill someone. How dare that bitch touch her!

"Yeah!" Lacy was riled up now, "She pinches my arm really hard and slaps me too. She said it was my fault for being a bad girl and not listening - I'm not a bad girl! Acheron told me so!"

"Of course you're not! Artemis was just being mean." He said, almost certain that Artemis was the one who cursed Lacy. He'll make that evil bitch reverse it one way or another.

"That's what I said, but Acheron told me it was not her fault. She's just acting out and hurting others because she's sad and lonely. No one loves her you see."

Nick snickered at that. Since when does Ash defend the psycho?

"Acheron said I have to be a good girl or else people will be mean to me. I told him, if people are mean to me then I'll tell daddy and he'll have their heads."

Nick laughed.

"He laughed too...and was really sad after. It made me sad too." Lacy's voice lowered and she sounded sad.

Resisting the urge to comfort her, Nick asked what happened afterward.

"Hermes came for me,"

Nick tightened his fist. He was angry at the pedophile god. Pallas told Nick that Hermes kidnapped Lacy when she was nine, planning to use his powers to turn her into an adult so he could marry her. He claimed it was fair, since Lacy's father was her mother's uncle and_ they_ were able to marry.

"But Auntie Pallas turned him into a cricket and we stomped on him. Then grandpa got mad at us for it, but Auntie coaxed him into forgiving us. I ran away, to look for my daddy. I was happy to get away from there, but I was sad too...I did not get to say goodbye to my Acheron. But Auntie Pallas said it was okay, I would see him again."

"How come Pallas is the only one you call aunt?"

"Because she _is _my aunt."

"What about the others?"

"Oh...I used to call Hermes and Artemis, uncle and aunt, but they told me to stop. Hermes said it was because he was planning to court me and being called uncle by me sounded vulgar to him. Artemis said being called aunt made her sound old. She does not want to be thought of as old. But I do call her auntie sometimes just to tease her." she giggled. "She hates it. She hits me afterward but it was worth it."

He laughed as well.

"Clumsy, you want to see something cool?"

"Okay," answered Nick. It took him a moment to realize that she had officially renamed him Clumsy.

Lacy began to raise and hover in the air, but fell back on to the ground. "My powers don't work." She said more to herself.

"Want me to carry you?" he offered.

"No! I can do it myself!"

He smiled. He could just imagine Lacy pouting and how cute it would look. He watched as the pearl, or orb Lacy, as she slowly rolled her way to the water. It was quite similar to watching a baby turtle struggling to make its way to sea. He found it hilarious and fascinating at the same time. He did not voice it because Lacy would surely be angry with him. Lacy was at the edge, but was trapped in place by a small pebble.

"Clumsy?" she said angrily, "Are you blocking my way?"

"No, I am not." He really was not, the pebble was. Couldn't she see it?

"Then why can't I move?"

"There's a pebble right in front of you."

"Well? Don't just stand there – move it!"

He did as he was ordered and flicked the pebble away. Before Lacy finished her journey, she said, "I am going to sleep now, Clumsy. You may go."

"May I visit you again?" he asked, eagerly waiting for her answer, hoping it was a yes.

He waited for what felt like long torturous hours, but was actually five minutes, before Lacy answered him.

"I suppose you can…"

"Great!" He said, louder then he wanted to. "I mean great." He said casually, hoping she did not notice his loud outburst.

"I will show you that…thing later, when you come back okay?"

"Okay,"

"Come back here in three days. I will wait for you in the same spot."

"Got it,"

"Do you remember?

"Three days, same spot," he nodded.

"Good," she said before she rolled into the water without a splash.

%

"Sin, I want you to meet Lacy." Kat spread her arms. She wanted Sin to meet Lacy for the longest time now, but Lacy kept dodging him for reasons Kat was never told. Lacy was unable to pull a disappearing act now, and Kat thought it was a perfect time to introduce them.

"Well, certainly not what I expected." said Sin as he gaze down at the pink pearl in a fishbowl of dirty water. "Nice…" he bit his tongue, struggling to be nice to his wife's friend, "to meet you."

"She's sleeping," said Kat.

"Now you tell me?" he arched an eyebrow at his wife and scowled at her for making him look a fool.

"Come now, it is still her."

"It's a pearl."

"No, she is not a pearl. Lacy is a ball of energy. It just so happens she made her soul solid, appearing similar to a pearl." She said as she picked the pearl up and gently held it in her palm. "Lacy," she tenderly rocked Lacy to wake her up.

When nothing happened, Sin gave her a skeptical look, "Kat, are you sure you got the right pearl?"

"Yes, it is and for the last time she is not a pearl." She retorted, gently cradling Lacy.

"Lacy, wake up."

"Is she trapped in there? Can she hatch her way out?"

"Sin! No, this is her and she is not pearl and not a chicken." She said as a matter-of-fact.

"Suite yourself, but I don't sense any human essence coming from…." He paused when she gave him a sharp look, "Lacy."

"You are not supposed to. I told you, no one can sense her essence, not even my dad."

"Can you?"

"No,"

"Then how do you know this," he gestured at the pearl, "is her?"

"I just do, all right." Kat said, placing Lacy back down in the fishbowl and carried it away.

"Where are you going with the…your friend?"

"Giving her to Persephone. She'll want to keep her daughter close."


	6. Past

I know it's going to be a little confusing for some people, if you have any questions ask me and I'll try to answer it in the nest chapters.

%

Nick lay on his bed staring at the ceiling. He was too anxious to sleep. The idea of meeting Lacy again had his heart pounding in his chest with excitement. It felt like it was going to burst out any minute. Only three days, seventy-two hours and four thousand three hundred and twenty minutes until he was going to see her again. Nick looked at the ticking clock. Now, there was only three days, seventy-two hours, and four thousand three hundred and nineteen minutes left to go.

To make time past by quicker, Nick thought of Lacy and the day they first met for the millionth time. He closed his eyes and conjured the scene. But the oddest thing happened. Instead of seeing himself sitting at a table in Sanctuary, Nick saw himself as a child walking in the street in ancient times.

"You have got to be kidding me…" he say to himself as he watched his younger self stop at a corner of a building, peeking his head out to spy on something.

Nick thought he had finally developed a good control over his powers, but it seemed as though they have a mind of their own. Of all the times he imaged their first meeting, why did it suddenly change from him in Sanctuary to him in ancient times.

He didn't have to guess. He knew that this was his past life…A sudden thought crossed his mind. He was conjuring the day he first met Lacy.

"Oh my…"

This was the day he first met Lacy! He knew there was something familiar about her.

Nick took a good look at the boy that he used to be. He was bone thin with filthy blond hair, sunburned skin, ragged clothes, and his feet were bare, except for the blisters.

_Wow, he was a street kid even back then. _Nick thought sarcastically.

Nick followed the boy's, who he dubbed Nicky for now, since he didn't remember his name, line of vision to see that Nicky was looking at another little kid. The kid was about six years old, pretty and cleaner with green eyes, shot curly black hair a little above the shoulder, and wearing what looked like a light brown toga and sandals.

Nick left his younger, past life self and went to the black haired kid. He cocked his head as he studied the small child's face. Something was very familiar about him. Before Nick could think further, Nicky slipped behind the Curly haired kid and tried to steal a jeweled dagger that was tied to Curly's waist. But Curly grabbed his wrist before Nicky could reach it.

Curly held Nicky's wrist firmly and dragged him off to a dark alley.

"Let go!" Nicky screamed.

"Thief," Curly said and took the dagger from the sheath. He tugged Nicky's arm out, ready to cut it.

Nicky dropped to his knees. "Please don't! I'll do anything! I'll be your slave! I'll even serve you after death! My soul! I'll pledge my soul to you for all eternity!"

"Coward," Nick said. If it were him now, he'd of fight Curly off with all he had rather than beg for his life like a worthless dog about to be slaughtered.

Something Nicky said made Curly stop. "Your soul?"

Nicky, who had his head tucked under his upper arms awaiting the pain, cautiously poked his head up to look at Curly.

"You pledge your soul to me?"

Nicky quickly nodded. "Yes! Anything!"

"Say it."

"What?" Nicky stared at him puzzled, and then trembled as he saw that Curly still had the dagger out.

"Your pledge. Say your name and swear your life to me."

"Oh, I…hmm. I don't have a name." Nicky revealed. His face was red with embarrassment.

"What do your parents call you?"

"I don't have parents."

"What do others call you?"

"You,"

"Pardon?"

"You or boy. That's what others call me."

Was he so poor and hopeless that no one bothered to name him back then? Nick shook his head to push away the memories of his childhood in this life. He had no name at that time which was why he couldn't remember having one. He clutched his head as new memories assaulted him. Memories of Nicky's life. It was lonely and cold. Starvation was constant. No one cared to even spare him a glance. Unlike Nick, Nicky didn't have a mother to protect and nurture him. He survived this long by shear will alone.

"Well, if you don't have a name then I as your owner will name you."

Nick knelt and took a good look at Curly. Something was definitely familiar about him. Who was he?

"Ambrosius. That'll be your name from this day on."

"Ambrosius?" Nicky let the word rolled on his tongue.

Nick could feel that this was the moment that Nicky, or Ambrosius, was happiest in his short life. He had a name now. No one would call him you or boy anymore, because he had a name.

"Now, repeat after me." Curly ordered, releasing him, but still held the dagger out.

"Yes,"

"I, Ambrosius,"

"I, Ambrosius,"

"Swear by Styx,"

"Swear by Styx,"

"That I will serve Le…Leuce of… Leuce of…"

Nick snapped his necked forward. _Lacy? Curly is Lacy? I can't believe this!_

Of all the ways to meet! And apparently he pledge his soul to her. This must be the real reason why Artemis had not claimed his soul. It belonged to Lacy. It was why Lacy had so much interest in him. Why she sacrificed herself to free him from Stryker and separate him from Artemis. He belonged to her.

"Leuce of Larissa for all eternity."

"Leuce of Larissa for all eternity." Nicky repeated and a black current enveloped them then vanished. "What happened?"

"Never you mind. From now on, you must never speck my name. But if you must, to you, I am Mintha."

Nicky nodded.

"Mintha?" Nick repeated. He could have sworn he heard that name before somewhere. "Mintha, Mintha…"

That's right. In ancient mythology, Mintha was one of Hade's lovers. There were few tales of him, since the ancient mortals feared him. A mention of his name was a death sentence. One myth Nick found to have not been true was the myth where Hades tried to take the nymph Leuce by force. When she resisted she was transformed into a white poplar, and kept in the Elysian fields. There she would be destined to remain forever, sadly standing beside the pool of memory.

After meeting some of the gods, Nick found the myths ridiculous. Lacy was Hades' daughter. Though incest was common among the gods, Nick doubt Lacy and her father were lovers. As for Mintha, it was Lacy's alias.

"Where are you taking me?" Nicky asked Lacy. But she didn't answer him and kept walking.

As soon as Lacy turned around, Nicky made a run for it and ran straight into a man in armor. Nick remembered the man was a soldier, Phil, who guarded the city. He disliked Nicky for being street trash and always escaping whenever he got the energy to chase after Nicky and draft him into being one of his brainless minions.

The old fart had a house full of orphans he trained to steal money or something of value from other people in the street. To top it off, he kept all the money for himself and only fed the orphans enough for them to work. Nicky knew this because he had seen and met some of them.

Beaten and bruised, they were ten times thinner than Nicky was. One would think they could run faster without the weight, but no, they were slow and frail. That was how Phil liked them. During the chase, Phil would catch the thief, becoming a hero, hand the money bag back, and be rewarded for his "good deed." Meanwhile the orphan was beaten and stoned in public for their crime. Phil would never cut their hands off as the punishment for thievery, since he thought it was too cruel to the poor trash.

"_Trash should be where it belongs, in the streets. "_He would say ,_"And this lesson should teach him some manners."_

_At least Nicky had the smarts to stay away from that mess._ Nick thought

Vaguely, Phil reminded Nick of a certain teacher he once knew. Peters was his name, well Peters wasn't out beating helpless children, but both Phil and Peters had that same look nasty curl on their lip whenever they look at him.

"You again?" the old fart sneered.

Before he could grab him, Nicky spun around and ran right back to Lacy. He dashed behind her and seemed to be using her as a shield.

"Help me! That man's a pervert he wants to rape me!" Nicky told her.

"Wow, I was a street punk, a thief,_ and _a compulsive liar." Nick said to no one in particular, "Peters would have been so proud."

Lacy stood her ground and turned her head toward the old soldier as he neared them.

"Is there a problem?" she softy asked.

The soldier halted when he saw Lacy. Eying her up and down, he realized that she was wealthy, possibly the child of a merchant, a senate or a general, and bowed his head.

"That trash," he stressed the word, "is my problem."

Lacy slightly angled her head back. "Ambrosius, who is this?"

"His name's Phil. He's a soldier." Nicky informed her. Not telling her the whole truth because he knew he'd be killed on the spot. Phil had a reputation to keep and he would not let a street urchin destroy it.

"Ambrosius?" said Phil, "Who is that?"

"Me," Nicky said proudly, standing tall, "It's the name my owner gave me."

"Your owner?"

"That would be me." Lacy replied. "Sorry for all the trouble he has caused you. Please take this as a token of peace." She held up a bag that was tightly tied and motioned for Nicky to give it to Phil.

Nicky was reluctant to leave the safety of his shied but did as he was told, he took the bag, and walked toward Phil. Feeling the heavy weight of the bag, Nicky thought of taking it and running off, but changed his mind at the last minute. It was clear that this master of his was very wealthy. He planned to go home with her and see for himself. Have a meal and then grab what he could and leave her.

Phil was hesitated, at first but he did take the bag Nicky offered him and weighted it in his hand.

"I promise I will teach him better manners as to not trouble you." said Lacy, and inclined her head, dismissing him from her presence.

"Not to insult you M'lady. But the boy is un-teachable. Raising him is like raising a spider under your bed. He'll strike whenever he feels like it and poison you."

Nicky returned to his spot behind Lacy and glared at Phil.

Lacy smiled a smile that made Nick have goose bumps. Without thinking he insictively knew that it was her signature smile of impatience. It was a warning of bad things to come if you do not do as she asked.

"It just so happens I nurse spiders as a hobby. They do not live under my bed, but I guarantee you that they are highly obedient."

Nick openly laughed when he conjured a memory of Nicky's and confirmed it. It was true. She did have a couple of pet female spiders in the Underworld. Nicky did vomit after she showed them to him and told him their mating rituals, of how the females ate their mates.

Phil was trying very hard to think of a response to her statement. But he had nothing to say besides bidding Lacy good day and glared at Nicky before he left.

Nicky walked toward the end of the alley and watched him leave. He turned back and found that Lacy was gone. Panicking after seeing that his meal ticket had disappeared, he raced into the street and searched for her.

"Wait master!" he waved.

Lacy barely acknowledged Nicky and purchased a dozen apples from a woman. When he reached her, Lacy handed him the bag of apples.

"Eat." She said and continued her grocery shopping.

Nicky opened the bag and quickly devour the apples, nearly choking from trying to eat them all at once. He hadn't eaten that morning and was very hungry. Since he grew up in these streets everyone knew him, making it difficult for him to steal from them. He had to make sure that they were completely occupied with what they were doing in order to make his move.

The vender gave him suspicious glares, but that ceased as soon as Lacy strolled by them in her clean and very expensive clothes. They put on fake smiles and greeted her, hoping she'd make a purchase. She must have been generous and rich, since she just mindlessly purchased apples and gave them to him of all people. When she stopped at a stall, they would double the price they normally charged. Because she was an unfamiliar face the people there thought they could take advantage of her.

Nicky thought the same thing. He figured she was an easy target since she was smaller than him and thought he could take her on. He looked down at his bony wrist. There was a light purple imprint of his master's tiny hand on it. She was a lot stronger than she looked. He bet that if she wanted, she could have snapped his bones like a twig. But her skin against his was soft. The softest thing he ever felt.

Nicky looked down at his chest between the bags he was carrying. It was tightening and he could feel his heart beating rapidly. He dismissed it as a fever or cold. He wasn't the sickly type, but every once in a while he would catch something. Nicky turned to his master as she examined a large piece of meat the butcher was cutting. He was going to stay with her until his fever was over and if he was lucky, Mintha might not make him do hard labor.

Nick placed his hand on his chest above his heart. It was hammering again. He looked at Nicky who was staring at Lacy then stared at his chest as well. After a moment Nicky shrugged it off and continued following Lacy. Did he feel it too? What did it mean if he did?

Nick recoiled his head as if he had been slapped. Nicky was in love with Lacy. Not exactly love, but he did have a little crush on her. But it seemed he didn't know it yet.

Closing his eyes, Nick conjured his powers and returned to his bed in the present. Clutching his head, he groaned as more images and unlocked memories flooded his mind. By the end he was left panting, and covered in sweat. As soon as the pain subdued, he flashed to Ash's home to reveal to him the secret of Lacy's past and origins.

%

Ash froze, in shock at the information Nick have just revealed to him. "What?"

"There are two Lacys. Well three if you're counting Lachesis." Nick tried to relieve the tension in the air with humor.

Lachesis was one of the Fate sisters. Her nickname was also Lacy.

Nick looked at Ash in sympathy. He knew that his mistress, Lacy the second would kill him for telling Ash the truth, but he felt that Ash deserved to know the truth of what really happened to Lacy, the first. The Lacy that he accidentally cursed.

"The Lacy you knew eleven thousand years ago is dead. The Lacy we know now is her sister."

Ash nodded. Hades and Persephone must have named their second child after the first in honor of her.

"And also this Lacy is my mistress."

"What?"

"I was sent here to spy on you." Nick admitted. "She was watching you through me."

Ash crossed his arms over his chest. "And you're telling me this now?"

Nick gave him a sad half smile. "I just remembered." He sighed and turned serious. "You need to know what happened to Lacy – the first Lacy."

Ash straightened, giving Nick his undivided attention.

"Apollymi gouged her eyes out and fed her to the Charonte."

Ash lowered his head in memory of the sweet innocent little girl he once knew. Her eyes were gouged out. That explained his vision of seeing her without eyes. Pushing his grief aside for the moment, he began pondering something. What was Lacy doing in Kalosis? Kalosis was the hell realm where Apollymi, his mother, was trapped in. Lacy knew better than to go there.

"I see why Lacy hates me. She was avenging her sister."

Nick didn't know all the details, but his Lacy had been sneaking into Kalosis for centuries, searching for her older sister's remains. She was collecting bits and pieces of her sister and keeping them in a coffin. He only knew because his curiosity got the better of him and one day he decided to sneak into the hidden room to find out what was in there.

His Lacy was angry when she caught him. She punished him by making him read the entire contents of her massive library and recite them all to her. If he forgot a single word she would order him to clean up Cerberus' droppings and give him a bath. Nick shivered at the horror and many other horrible secrets he had kept for Lacy over the years without knowing it.

"I need to speak to her." Ash said to no one in particular.

Nick looked at Ash and saw his desperate need to make amends. Lacy was definitely going to kill him for this, but Ash had to find out some day.

"I think I know a way. But you might not like what you find out."

%

Ash nervously straightened the hideous Hawaiian shirt. Out of Nick's collection he had chosen a dark one with a patterned of white flowered on it and coughed to alter his voice to Nick's. He wanted to see his mother and question her as to why she had killed Lacy, but wanted to see Lacy, or her sister, first.

"Clumsy!"

He turned to see Lacy waving at him. She appeared like a five year old again, not eleven as she had told Nick, and not a glowing pearl as well. Nick also revealed to Ash that to cure Persephone from her grief of their first child's death, Hades had this Lacy pretend to be her sister until her mother finally came to terms with the truth. Often, Lacy would continue her role as her sister while in the company of others. Few people knew that the elder Lacy was dead and that Hades had another child.

Ash studied Lacy. She was wearing a pink outfit, complete with large star sunglasses and a bucket hat, with her hair neatly tucked in, over half her face was hidden by her attire. He supposed she was cold because her pale skin had a light blue-ish glow to it.

"Hello," Ash greeted her.

The smile on Lacy's face faded as she drew closer to him. She halted a few feet away and stared at him through her thick sunglasses. He would have asked her why she was wearing sunglasses in the Underworld, since it was so dimly lighted, but restrained himself. Who was he to question others for reasons to wear sunglasses in peculiar settings, when he, himself always do.

"Clumsy," she curled her finger, motioning for him to lower himself.

Ash knelt and remained still for her to study him. She must've sensed something wrong with him. Nick had mentioned that he had served Lacy for thousands of years as her Squire. Besides his mother, Nick admitted that Lacy was the only one who knew him best.

"Did you do something with your hair?" Lacy asked after several minutes.

Ash exhaled the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Yes, yes I did."

Lacy shrugged and motioned for Ash to get up and follow her. "I was going to show you Cerberus, but that can wait for later."

"Lacy,"

Lacy stopped and turned around. "What?"

"I…I want to know about your sister."

Lacy's pale pink lips tightened as she clenched her fist. "What about my sister?"

"Where is she?" he cautiously asked her.

Lacy shrugged with a hint of distaste in her tone. "Probably in Vegas with her husband." She gasped in alarm at what she had said and quickly closed her mouth.

Ash blinked. "Vegas?" But wasn't Lacy the first dead? Were her remains in Vegas? Why didn't Katra tell him? More questions began spinning in his head. He supposed it was his turn to be confused as he had often made others.

Slowly falling to his knees, Ash stared at her half covered face. Lacy looked at him curiously then jumped back when she realized he was not Nick.

"Who are you?" she demanded, conjuring a sword. She blinked in surprise when Ash used his powers to remove her sunglasses and hat revealing white horns, swirling sliver eyes and bright red hair. Before Ash could say a word she vanished.

"Wait!" Ash stood with his arm stretched in front of him. At first he thought it was another vision, like the ones he's been having lately, but the more he thought about the more he realized that it was not. There was a theory forming in his mind. And there was one person who could confirm it.

"Artemis,"

%

"Ash?" Artemis gasped, sitting up from her bed, and pushing the wooden box under the blanket.

She thought she was hearing things, but sure enough he was standing in front of her, at the foot of her bed. Forgetting about the hideous scars on her face, she stared in shocked at Ash's true form. As Apostolos, his "true" form, he had black lips, black horns, black hair, yellow orange eyes shot through with red, black claws, and blue skin with marbled streaks of various other shades of blue. Ash appearing to her in this form could only mean one thing. He was pissed.

The first thing that ran through Artemis' mind was wondering where Lacy was, when she needed her. Ash would never hurt Lacy. She could throw Lacy at him as a distraction while she ran away to safety. Artemis stared at him, wide eye, like a doe staring into headlight. Even when she knew she was going to be hit with the speeding truck's full force, she could not look away.

"Tell me the truth," Ash coldly demanded.

"Truth?" Artemis repeated, thinking he somehow found out about hers and Lacy's deal.

"Is Katra our only child?"

The horrified look on her face was enough to convince Ash that his theory was right.

"When?" he coldly demanded.

"Hades told you?" She asked a question of her own, her face twisted in rage. "He told you!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anxious to learn the truth, Ash decided to play along, waiting for her to slip. He had no time for her games and wanted to know if Lacy, the second, was his daughter too. Lacy was weak and her powers could not hide her true form. It was why she was wearing such an outfit. He figured out that her skin was not glowing blue because of the cold, it really was blue. Her red hair, although it was really bright, was obviously inherited from Artemis, and her eyes...those were his eyes.

"It's your entire fault!" Artemis screamed.

Great. What had he done now? Besides killing Lacy. Subconsciously he wished it was not true. If it was then, he had murdered his own child.

"He took her from me! Because of you!" She pointed at him, her other hand instinctively rubbing her belly.

"Hades," he said cautiously.

"I never got to see her because of you!"

Ash glared down at her. She was hysterical, yet had the right state of mind to blame everything on him like she always does.

"Hades told me everything." He was bluffing, gambling with her emotions. He thought she was going to play the blame game with him, similar to the time she had told him about Katra's existence. But clearly this second child they had together was a sore spot for her. Her emotions are taking over her rational side. It was fine by Ash. If she was angry enough she would begin ranting and lose herself.

Artemis' instantly paled. "Everything? He told you everything?" she bitterly laughed, "Did he tell you how he cut me open and ripped her from my womb? She was nothing but a bloody ball of flush when he took her!"

She was not lying. During the time they spent together, Ash recalled her subconsciously touching her stomach when she thought he was not looking. Since she was the goddess of childbirth, he figured she was feeling some type of affect from the humans she watched over. He never thought it was because she had her womb carved open and a child ripped out.

"What did you do?" Ash demanded. For Hades to perform such an act on her, she must have done something extreme to piss him off.

"Me?" Artemis pulled the blanket off her and stood on her feet. "Who was the one who cursed Lacy to die? Who's mother tore Lacy limb from limb and fed her to her pets?" She jabbed her finger toward him with every word. "I had to pay for both your crimes!"

"Hades came after you and demanded an exchange." Ash guessed and suddenly noticed she was glancing at something on the bed.

The blanket instantly vanished, revealing a wooden carved box. Before Artemis could grab it, Ash summoned it to his hand and opened the box. Inside were strands of bright red hair, tightly braided. It was the exact hair as the one five year old Lacy had. She had securely tucked her hair under a bucket hat to hid it from him, from Nick.


	7. Lies

Sorry for the confusion. Let me clarify things. Heartless Nymph begins five years after Fear the Darkness, which was set in 2007. I wrote it in the first chapter, where Lacy reincarnated into Christine for five years and was killed by Ash. That means its 2012 or 2011. I'm thinking 2011, but since Kenyon's series time-line overlaps, I'm putting that Heartless Nymph is set after Bad Moon Rising and in between No Mercy. I've just started reading No Mercy and will be using some details from it. Hope this clears it.

On another note. I was involved in a car accident and broke my arm. Fortunately I had the first half of my stories typed before the accident. I'm trying to finish them up with one arm, which is a pain, but I'm getting the hang of it.

Please pardon me if something is off from the other chapters. I've been given a lot of pain killers and am high most of the time. I also listened to a lot of sad love songs while writing this to get into the mood. So excuse me if there's a little too much emotion for you or not enough.

%

After leaving Artemis' temple Ash aimlessly wondered about the realms without a destination. He was alone in the middle of nowhere, but he didn't care. His complete attention was directed at the braided red hair in his hand, his daughter's hair. He wanted to use his powers in order to see into his daughter's mind by using the hair, but couldn't. His powers did not allow him to see the future of the ones close to him or if they were a part of his own future, he was blind to their destinies.

He wanted to talk to her. To know how she felt about him. To see if she hated him. He had murdered her while she was in one of her incarnations as a human child, after all. Although, in his defense, he hadn't known that she was his child and that she would react that way when he tried to heal her, Ash still felt guilt over her death. She was an innocent child and he had cut her life short. She never had the chance to grow, live out her human life, and die a peaceful death. It was all because of him. He killed her. He killed his own child. How could he face her?

"If it's any consolation," came Hades' voice as he materialized in front of Ash, "she doesn't blame you or those Were-Hunters for her death."

Ash felt a little better with that knowledge, but still, he could not stop thinking about the image of her twisting and jerking in pain before Hades came and pulled her soul out of the body to spare her from more suffering.

What a way for them to meet. That must've have been why she had ran from him when he saw her true form. She must've been afraid of him and of what he might do to her.

He turned away from the braided hair and looked at Hades. He had a lot of questions in his mind and one in particular he was dying to know. "Why couldn't I heal her?"

Hades eyes flashed red in anger, and back to normal an instant later. "An incident involving gallu demons and a certain god. Thanks to him, she heals like a human… among other things." He quietly muttered the last part but Ash heard him.

"Who?" Ash's fist clenched. He was really to kill whoever had done such a thing to his daughter.

"There's no point in you knowing and this is not what I've come to speak to you about."

Ash straightened, ready for the truth.

"Lacy… well her real name is actually Mintha. Mintha is your daughter, but not with Artemis."

If not Artemis then…

"Artemis had created a human child to be your companion from a group of pearls fused together."

Ash gaze wondered off as a particular memory of himself with Apollodorus and Artemis materialized.

_"How do you stand that?" Artemis shivered as he picked the boy up and Apollodorus gave him a wet kiss on his cheek._

_"I love him, Artie. There's nothing disgusting about him."_

_She shivered even harder as if it were the most repulsive thing she could imagine. "You want your own child, don't you?" Her accusatory tone amazed him. It was as if she thought him an imbecile for wanting something like that._

_Acheron held his nephew close as he considered a question that had never crossed his mind. "Since I can't have any, I've never thought about it really."_

_"But if you could?"_

_He looked at his nephew and smiled. He'd give anything to be able to create something so precious. "I can think of no greater __a__ gift than to have my own child look at me the way Appie does."_

_"Then we should find a baby for you."_

_Find a baby for you…_

Something told Ash she wasn't talking about Katra at the moment. Ash cursed as he realized what Artemis had done. She had lied about having her stomach ripped opened to make him feel guilty. He could not believe he had actually fallen for her deception.

"Leuce, my daughter," Hades continued, after Ash had enough time to compose himself, "found the child beneath the ruins of your castle. It seems Artemis had accidently dropped Mintha on your blood that Apollo had spilled, which was mixed with I believe a Charonte demon's blood."

"Xiamara." He had a daughter with Xiamara. Ash did not know how to respond to the knowledge. He had mixed feelings about it. As if he wasn't already stricken with guilt over accidently killing her too.

"Leuce was trying to contact you and tell you about the Mintha, but you were ignoring her."

Leuce was Ash's friend but he had avoided seeing her because she was so casual about everything to the point that it was disturbing. She was innocent, yet not. She knew of mature subjects that Ash thought someone of her age should not have the knowledge of.

She would tell him stories of men and women whom she had judged for their crimes and how she had decided to punish them. It was unpleasant to hear of what she had done to them and her nonchalant attitude toward such matters was startling.

It was not that he disliked her, but she was violent, but never toward him. She swore that she never hurt him, because she could not hurt someone she loved. At that point, Ash had had enough of people declaring their temporary love for him only to turn on him the first chance they received. He lashed out at her, saying things he didn't mean and ran away from her.

He saw her once, after he had finished killing a few Daimons. She said she had missed him and wanted to be friends again. Ash was opened to befriending her again and Simi seemed quite fond of her. But he changed his mind after he witnessed her slay a family of humans. He lashed out at her and compared her to Artemis. He called her a heartless creature, cold like stone, and to go to hell. He didn't want to see her again. He ended their friendship once and for all and had never heard from her again.

Similar to Nick, he had cursed her with his words without knowing it. She had died because of him.

"Mintha doesn't know you're her father and that she's half Charonte. She thinks she is a product created by Artemis and Lacy's blood and I will have her continue believing it – even if the other parent is Artemis."

Ash understood where this conversation was going. Hades would rather have Mintha believe she was Leuce's daughter with Artemis then with him, because of his past. It was probably his revenge for his part in Leuce's death.

"How much does she know about me?" Ash's throat tightened as he asked him the question. There was an unspoken agreement between them. Hades had to tell Ash information about her in exchange for his silence.

"A lot."

She must be disgusted with him. Not only was he was the one who cursed her adoptive mother to die, but he also killed her biological one as well… She would forever hate him if she found out the truth.

"Does she know about my true form?"

"Even if she did, she wouldn't have put two and two together. Before she was bitten by the gallu demon her eyes were the only thing that resembled you. And the horns, she thinks they sprouted as a side effect from a demon she ate. In truth the demon's blood activated the Charonte blood in her. Her Charonte form has slowly begun to manifest. Horns, eyes, skin… all that's left are the wings." He and Seph were still brainstorming on how to explain the wings to Mintha when they come out. They do plan on telling her the truth of her biological parents, eventually, when she was well enough to handle it. "She believes her body transformed because of the poison in his blood and her increase in power is from her monthly meals."

"Meals," Ash murmured, remember Katra mentioning that Lacy would put coins into a person's mouth as a promise to eat them, "Coins?"

"I see you've heard about the coins," Hades chuckled in amusement, "It was a prank Mintha had played on the other gods. Never gets old."

"What did she do?"

"Last party I hosted, she made a selected few gods and goddess vomit out gold coins. When a few of them were attacked and nearly eaten by a demon, the fools concluded that she was involved. It was quite entertaining."

"She must've been a hand full."

"Raising children is never easy and Mintha…she can be warm and loving when she feels like it and cold and ruthless when she needs to be."

"Was she rebellious?"

"All children go through that phase one time or another."

Ash was silent for a few minutes before he asked his nest question. "Did she…does she hate me? About Leuce."

"Honestly…I don't know." Hades stated with a hint of guilt in his tone. "Also, Apollymi didn't kill Leuce. It was a lie I told Artemis, so she'd let us keep Mintha. In truth Leuce was murdered by a rouge demon. Mintha was there and saw everything. What you saw was her Shade form. Its five years old, the age of which she…she stopped growing. Mintha was traumatized by what she had experienced. She reverted back to the time before she found out the truth about Artemis, where she was most happy with Leuce. Her mind is set on that particular moment to help her cope with the lost."

Ash contemplated this. He was upset in hearing that Leuce was murdered and his child was mentally ill. He made a mental note to look into this later.

"How did Mintha become Lacy?"

"It wasn't meant to happen…but when Seph saw Leuce's corpse she…" Hades inhaled deeply, reliving the moment in his mind, "There was no other way to cure her and I refused to lose her. I convinced Mintha to pretend to be Leuce until Seph was better. Mintha took to her role and continued it." And it drove her insane. Because of him, Mintha developed a personality disorder from years of neglect. She was force to become Leuce at a very young age. Her role was taken to extremes, do to his encouragement, and she forgot who she really was.

He had convinced her to go into the pool of memory and let her absorb Leuce's memories. The current pulled her in, until her feet could no longer feel the ground. She was struggling, screaming for help, choking on the water. He saw her drowning and instead of offering his hand, he stood by and watched until she stopped struggling and slowly sank to the bottom. When he pulled her up, her lifeless body was twisted in odd angles, revealing how much she had fought to live. How much she didn't want to die…

There were times, when he was tempted to pull her up, but thought it was for the best.

In the beginning, Mintha ranaway from them, because they were not her family. She thought that because they were not related to her, they did not need her and would not love her. It was not true. He and Seph loved her, even if she was not theirs. But she refused to believe them. It was the reason why he let her become Leuce. Seph was content in believing Leuce was still alive, and Mintha had a family she always wanted. How could what he was doing be wrong?

Three thousand years ago, the part of her that was still Mintha manifested in the form of a five year old child, haunting him. She was walking beside Lacy, when she returned from her trip to the Sumerian land. Mintha was standing there with her accusing eyes and it appears no one could see her, except him.

He didn't thing she was real, that she was just a figment of his imagination because of his guilt, and ignored her. As it turned out she was real. She proved it by haunting Lacy, until she admitted that she was an imposter. Lacy had a mental breakdown, reverted back into the child she was, and demanded that he and Seph give back the life they took from her.

He knew he should tell Ash about it, but chose not to. He'd kill him for intentionally brainwashing his child and replacing her memories with his. It was equivalent to him murdering her. Besides she was fine now…almost. If Ash got involve there's a high chance of her having another mental breakdown and running away. This time she might not come back and cut them out of her life completely. He and Seph would not have that. Mintha was theirs. They loved her as much as they loved Leuce and they are willing to do everything they could to make up for hurting her all those years.

Although Hades was answering Ash's questions openly, there was something in the air that was telling him Hades wanted something more than his silence.

"I want a few strands of your hair." Hades said, in seeing the look on Ash's face.

"Why?"

Hades glanced at the braid hair in Ash's hand. "Her hair is permanently sun bleached because Artemis left her sitting on the windowsill for too long. Mintha dislikes it. It's a constant reminder of Artemis' neglect. She wants new ones and you're the only donor that matches. I tried to find her a new body for her, but as you have witnessed, it's nearly impossible. Either her soul rejects it and it begins to slowly deteriorate or someone intervenes and kills her."

Without hesitation he conjured a pair of scissors in his hand, fisted his hair and cut it. Normally Ash hated getting his hair pulled. But if Mintha wanted it he would gladly give it to her.

%

"What's the matter?" Apollymi asked after dismissing her Charonte demons so they could speak privately.

Ash appeared to her hell realm in Shade form. It was the only way for them to meet each other without the world ending.

Ash was clearly upset about something.

"I have three daughters."

"Three?" Apollymi knew of Katra and Simi, but not of the third he was talking about. She thought he was going to tell her Tory was pregnant, but by the look of his demeanor it was something else.

"Yes, I have another daughter, with Xiamara."

Apollymi was taken aback by the information he had just revealed. She knew he was speaking of Xiamara, her old demon companion, who she loved like a sister, and not Simi. "What? When?" If what he said was true, then why didn't she know about it? She was more powerful than the gods combined.

Ash told her the information Hades had given him about Mintha, how she was created, and how she had lived her life as someone else.

Apollymi closed her eyes and saw what happened. Leuce's life was not supposed to be cut that short. She was not meant to die. The demon that slew her was no ordinary demon either. He was ancient, powerful. Strong, but her granddaughter was stronger. Mintha went mad and slew the demon after he murdered Leuce and devoured him. His blood was what activated her Charonte blood but it was locked away when she became Leuce.

The Fates put Leuce's tapestry of life aside with the rest of the gods that had perished. When a god died their powers and life become energy and releases itself into the world, creating natural disasters.

Mintha wasn't meant to be born therefore she didn't exist in their mind. She didn't have a tapestry of her own. After she was left to be drown to death by Hades, in the pool of memory, her memories of being Mintha was wiped from her mind and replaced by Leuce's. She took over Leuce's life, and her tapestry as well. It continued to weave on its own, and died on its own, when Mintha realized who she was and stopped pretending.

Apollymi smiled bitterly. The bitches must have been tearing at their hairs when they realized they had no control over Mintha's life. She had convinced her mind that she was someone else, therefore her powers caused the Fates to be blinded to Mintha and view her as Leuce.

The goddess' musing discontinue when she took one look at her son. She reached out to hug her son when he finished, only to remember that she could not touch him. His heart was breaking all over again and she could do nothing to soothe it but weep for his suffering. This was the very reason she had hidden the knowledge of Katra's existence from him. She had wanted to keep him from feeling the ache in his heart as she felt and still feels.

"I have three daughters," Ash said softly, "and I was only able to raise one. Two, I never knew existed until it was too late. Simi will forever be with me. Katra has a family of her own now. She does not need me. The one that needs me most, I cannot claim or ever let her acknowledge the fact that I'm her father… She loathes me."

"Apostolos," Apollymi breathed, wishing with all she had that she could wipe the tears from his face.

"I hear her mother." Ash confessed. "I hear her cursing me every night for the last eleven thousand years, praying for my demise. I've seen her, her silhouette in my dreams. She hides behind the clouds, with her tears, her sorrow. I stole the one person she loved the most from her with my words. She will never forgive me."

If his calculations were correct, Mintha was his first born child. She was created when his and Xiamara's blood was spilled, meaning she was born after they were both dead and during the time Apollymi was released from her prison and destroying the world.

The image of a naked child, covered in dirt flashed before his eyes. With had short red hair and swirling silver eyes, she was lost and alone, trapped beneath the ruins, and he was too busy screaming at Artemis to notice.

Or did he?

Was he too engrossed in his anger to notice a frightened child crying beneath his feet?

%

Near the entrance of the Underworld, Lacy stood, petting one of Cerberus's off spring. The creature lay on its belly, nuzzling her hand, enjoying the attention. He stood up, looking at something behind her, and growled.

She stiffened when she felt Ambrosius' presence behind her. Her heart was racing in her chest as if it wanted to pound its way out. Strange, she thought the organ was dead along with the rest of the body she was possessing. She wondered if it was all in her head, which was unlikely. The dead organ always came alive whenever she was near him. It would beat only for Ambrosius, not Nick. She hated Nick as much as she hated herself for letting him go, causing him to become what he was.

"Mintha,"

Lacy fist clenched as she turned around and faced him. A whistle from her lips let the creature know she wanted him to leave. He did as his master ordered and left.

Nick stood in awkward silence, waiting for her to slap him upside the head for betraying her and to punish him. He expected it. It was her usual reaction. But the face of the human she was currently possessing gave no clue as to how she was feeling. She was in the form of a human with brown hair and black eyes. She was wearing a long purple dress with floral patterns, buttoned to her neck, and a black belt. Her black hair was pulled into a tight bun, while her bangs were brushed to the side. She was beautiful, no matter whatever body she possessed.

He felt that he should say something to break the silence, but he didn't know what. She probably figured out that it was he that told Ash her secrets and was still contemplating what kind of punishment he was going to receive.

"I release you,"

What she had said caught him off guard. He didn't understand what she meant.

"What?"

"I release you from your service to me." She stepped forward, and looked him straight in the eyes.

"What are you saying?" He knew what she was saying, but he refused to acknowledge it.

As Lacy walked passed Nick he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She kept as much distance from him as she possibly could, hoping he didn't notice that he hadn't turned to stone yet. She had to cut this confrontation short before he realizes what he meant to her. How much she loved him.

Although she had been living in a world of lies, where nothing she felt or thought was true or even her own, loving him was the only thing she was certain of and it had caused her nothing but misery and heartache. She couldn't take it anymore. It had to end now or else she could never let him go. He deserves to be happy with a calm and gentle woman, who could soothe the beast inside of him. The human woman she had found for him was perfect.

Lacy was all wrong for him. She was Artemis' daughter and she inherited so much of her mother's personality. She thought she'd never understand the goddess and her intense love for her Atlantean sex slave, until the day she realized she was in love with Ambrosius after he left.

She dreamed of being with him, night after night. Erotic, haunting images tempting her to do actions she wouldn't have done before. Feelings of need, want, desire… it all molded together. Awaking emotions she thought she didn't have. Love changed her into a venomous creature she didn't recognize. Like her mother, she was possessive of her things. She wanted to chain him to her bed. Lock him away, with her, so he could never leave again. But Lacy learned from observing Artemis and Acheron's relationships that if she were to do that, then he would lose all his love for her and hate her.

"You're free. You can still visit your mother, but don't come looking for me. I don't want to see you."

"For how long?" he eagerly asked her.

"Forever." She refused to be Artemis. She would not be selfish and ruin him. Nick was not like Acheron, he would succumb to the darkness within him. If he stayed with her, she would destroy what little humanity he had. She had to let him go. A damaged soul like her does not know how to love and care for others.

Nick's eyes widen in shock. She must be joking. She had to be.

"Ever since I've known you, you've caused me nothing but trouble. But I forgave you and fixed all of your mistakes because for all of your faults. You were the person who I thought would remain loyal to me for eternity... It seems I was wrong. You betrayed me."

Nick's grip on her arms tightened as he pulled her closer to him. It was as if he wanted to pressed their bodies together and become one. As he felt her pushing at his chest, he looked down and blinked, surprised he was still flesh and not stone. His head jerked back to her alarmed face. She could tell that he knew what it meant. Disregarding her earlier biting words, he cupped her face and kissed her.

At first she resisted, but it didn't long for her to surrender her desires and return his kiss. She felt like she was being consumed by fire, but this time the sensations were different. Painful, yet not. It was a mixture of pleasure and pain and it seems the fire was burning her from inside out.

This must be how Artemis felt like when Acheron first kissed her. Lacy thought. With the reminder of Artemis and that Nick had slept with her, she snapped her eyes open and pushed him off her. Her mother and the man she loved had had an affair. It disgusted her.

Nick fell into the ground as she pushed him. His hold on her was loosened but still firm, causing her to fall with him. He took the bite of the fall but as soon as he had his chance he rolled her around and pinned her to the ground with his weight.

"I'll chase you to the ends of earth if you run away!" he told her, before she could teleport out of there.

"Fine," she said through grit teeth, "Just get off me."

"No until you swear you'll stay and talk with me."

Lacy gave him a jaded look and spoke the words he wanted to hear. "I swear I'll stay and talk with you."

Nick released her and stood up. He held his hand out to help her get up but she ignored it. As she stood across from him the dirt on her dress vanished. An indifference expression appeared on her face as the usual ice princess air surrounded her.

It was all an act. He knew the truth. His mistress was kind and gentle, when she wanted to be.

"You love me," He stated.

She scoffed. "In your bed wetting dreams."

"I can touch you."

"Because I'm not wearing my chastity belt."

"You're lying."

"What do you want me to do? Pull my dress up and let you see?"

"Yeah,"

Lacy placed her hands on her hips and pinned him with a glare. "Excuse me?"

Nick shrugged. "What? You're the one who suggested it."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Really? 'Cause it sounded like you were serious to me."

"That's because I'm angry at you."

"For stating the obvious?"

"No, for assaulting me."

"I didn't assault you."

"You're right you didn't. I was mistaken. Let me rephrase my earlier comment. You _sexually _assaulted me."

Nick was offended. His mother raised him better than that. "I did not."

Lacy stuck her nose up. "Yes you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes you did."

Nick stopped arguing with her after he suddenly realized that she was trying to change the subject.

"Stop playing me and pull your skirt up or I'll rip it off you." He knew he was being irrational but he had to know if she loved him too.

It was Lacy's turn to be offended. "Pervert! There's no way I'm pulling my skirt up."

Nick took one stepped toward her, in which she took a step back.

"Fine," Lacy grabbed the skirt of her dress and pulled it up for one split second before letting it fall back to her ankles.

"To quick. I didn't get a good look." He got a good look at her black underwear, but thought it was a trick and wanted another look.

She was wearing her iron underwear all right. He knew that for a fact. He felt the heavy metal pressed against his body when he was holding her. From the feel of it, it wasn't just a chastity belt. When she fell on top of him, he felt the hard metal over her breast to her thighs. What was she wearing? A chastity body armor suit? He knew Hades was strict, but he didn't think he was _that_ strict.

She must still be a virgin. No wonder she was blushing so much from his touches.

Lacy's face was red as she pouted, which Nick thought was cute. She looked about ready to slap him. Not that he mind. He missed her terribly and accepted any skin contact he could get from her, even if it was a slap to the face.

Hell, when they were kids when he used to provoke her to beat him just so he could feel her soft, yet hard, fist on him. He especially loved the face she would make as she pushed him to the ground and stomped on him with her tiny feet. Her hair wild and creaking with electricity, eyes dilated, and her face flushed with anger… He was a sick bastard back then - still was - and he was not going to deny it.

Lacy held her skirt up, this time for two seconds before she released it. "Proof enough?"

"You're a goddess,"

"Yes, I am."

"You used your powers and changed it."

"Changed what?"

Nick snorted. It was clear she wasn't going to admit to anything, even if she was caught red handed. Time for a new tactic.

"Before I reincarnated you say you'd watch over me. How come you didn't keep your word? You didn't help me whenever I was in danger?"

Lacy noticeable winced but composed herself a second later. "I had far more important things to do then to babysit a slave. Besides, your Dark-Hunter buddies got your back, didn't they…Well that was until you fucked the wrong girl or should I say demon."

"Are you really going to bring that up?" She was baiting him and he was taking a bite of her hook.

"Pardon me for bring up your slutty past. It was totally uncalled for."

Nick noticed a hint of bitterness in her words. Was she jealous?

"You came to me for a reason, didn't you? What do you want?"

"I…I wanted to talk, to apologize for telling Ash your secret. It was not my place."

"It certainly was not. What exactly did you tell him?"

"I told him about your sister and how Hades made you pretend to be her until your mom got better." Nick fell to his knees, clucking his chest as he felt a sharp pain there. It was like he was being sliced opened by a knife.

"You have no right to reveal my secrets to anyone, especially when you don't even know what you're talking about. I trusted you, Ambrosius. I never… I thought you would never betray me." Lacy said as he groaned in pain. She walked close and knelt beside him. "I should have left you to starve to death in the streets where you belong -"

Lacy shrieked as Nick grabbed her ankle and tackled her to the ground, pulling her skirt up. Feeling his rough hand on her hip and chastity belt, she flashed out of there.

She landed on her feet in her bed room in relief, but jumped in panic when she saw Nick right behind her. He had held on tight to her chastity belt and came with her. She kneed him in the groin and ran for the large box in the middle of the room. Pulling the lid up, she quickly went inside and close it.

The box, which was similar to a coffin, was her bed. Hephaestus had created it for her because she had a habit of sleepwalking, more like sleep eating, and beating things. She didn't know why but she would become blindingly hungry at night and climb out of bed to search for food.

She had to sleep in a coffin because she wanted to stay in her room, without going to her closet and eating her vessels. One night she had awoken on the floor, her closet completely empty and the taste of human flush in her mouth. It took her centuries to find the corpses she could easily possess and it took another few centuries to find new ones to replace the ones she ate.

Hands over her mouth and nose, she lay still, expecting Nick to think she had flashed to another location. She kept her hands there until she remembered that she was dead and didn't need to breath. Gingerly, she placed her arms on her sides and waited for him to stop punching at the coffin.

Lacy could not flash anywhere else. She was trapped in the cushioned box. It was enchanted to trap her inside. In her sleep she would try to kick and punch her way out but to no avail. It would not open by force, but by a gentle hand. Something Nick didn't know.

An hour and a half had passed by in silence. She was debating whether if she should peek outside and see if he was still there, waiting for her. She decided against it and waited another hour.

Nick had stopped his attempts to open the coffin. It was locked tight. But he didn't give up. Something told him that she was still in there. He crouched down, placed himself next to the coffin and hide. Two and a half hours passed, until he saw the lid slightly lifted. It took all he had in him to not let himself get excited by the tiny crack and scare her.

_Just a little more. There!_

Lacy's scream was ear-piercing, but Nick ignored it and stuck his arm in and grabbed her wrist before she could close the lid. Nick winced as she repeatedly slammed the lid on his arm, but that wasn't the worse part. "What the hell, Mintha? Ow!" He yelped when he felt something cutting into the skins of the back of his hand. Crap! She was biting him!

Nick wasn't stupid, he got the message. _Let go or I'll bite your hand off. _He got the message but he was not going to comply with it.

It was like being in a vampire horror movie. The difference was that he was trying to get into the coffin, instead of getting out. And he wasn't out to stake the vampire, he was trying to make the stubborn woman admit she loved him. Nick wondered if calling her a vampire was suitable. Technically, she was more of a zombie or a ghost-zombie thingy.

He put his foot on the side of the coffin and pulled with all he had, but she stayed in place. "Quit being stubborn, ghost-zombie woman!"

Nick stopped his struggles as he heard a light sob from inside the coffin. Her teeth were gone from his hand and she had stopped fighting him. Nick kept his grip on her wrist. She seemed to have given up but he still wouldn't take his chances.

He pushed the lid fully open and found her crying. He knelt beside her and tried to look at her face. "Mintha?"

She turned her face away from him and attempted to wipe her tears. "How -" she hiccupped, "How – c-could y-y-ou say t-that t-t-o me?"

Nick released her wrists to embrace her when he realized his mistake. She had lost her body thousands of years ago when she was killed. Her having to possess human bodies was a sore spot for her. She hated having to use their bodies to do just to do the simplest of task.

"I'm sorry. It just slipped out."

Before he knew it, she pushed him off her and closed the lid.

Nick cursed, not because she closed the lid on him again, but because he had made her cry. He could hear her trying to muffle her cries. Sitting on the floor, he leaned his back against the coffin. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Ambrosius,"

"Yes," Nick quickly turned around, ready to do anything if she'd forgive him.

Gone were the tears. She was cold and emotionless once again. "Do you love me?"

"Yes,"

"Why?"

"Because…because…" Nick was at a loss. He loved her. He knew he loved her. There were all kinds of reasons, but why couldn't he remember them now. "You're my best friend."

"You're best friend?" Lacy repeated thoughtfully.

"I know everything about you," He blurted out.

Lacy arched her brows. "You know everything about me?"

"Yes, we…we were together for centuries. No one knows me better than you and no one knows you better than me."

A pregnant pause surrounded them for several minutes before she sat up and spoke. "You're right, Ambrosius. You are my best friend and not one knows me better than you."

The hairs on the back of Nick's neck rose. It only meant one thing. She was going to drop a bomb on him. The last time this happened, Lacy told him she was going to date Hermes. After that, Nick fell into depression and spent most of his days in his room, mopping. He barely saw much of her, since she spent most of her time with Hermes in Olympus.

He jumped for joy, the day she came back and told him they had broken up. They went to the human world and celebrated her being single. It turned out she only dated Hermes because she was curious about relationships and Hermes was actually her second choice. Nick didn't bother to ask who her first one was. He was too excited by her brake up.

"Should I duck for cover?" Nick asked her.

"That won't be necessary," She folded her hand on her lap in a lady-like manner, and sighed, "I hate to admit this, but you're the only man I have ever had a stable relationship with…including with Hades." She added bitterly.

Nick nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"You…" She tilted her head in a familiar fashion to someone, Nick couldn't recall at the moment, and thought her words over, "You have affection for me and I for you. You obey my word and finish the tasks I give you. You're bitching the whole way, but you do finish you're tasks."

"So… you're giving me a chance?" Dare he hope.

"Yes," She smiled, "The eleven thousand years we sent together do mean something to me. So, I'm giving you a chance."

Nick was thrilled, but didn't show it. There was a catch. He could feel it.

"I'm giving human life another shot. I will be reincarnated again and you have to find me."


	8. Plotting

Ray entered Mintha's chambers to find her sitting on her bed, tracing the designs on the white Mardi Gras mask in her hands. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it without uttering a word. She knew better then to bother Mintha when she was reminiscing about Ambrosius. Backing into the shadows, Ray concealed herself.

"Come out, I've already spotted you." Mintha said without looking up.

Ray stepped forward and gently placed her hand on Mintha's shoulder. She knew of Mintha's affection for her slave. It was clear the moment she first introduced Ambrosius to her. Mintha's eyes would light up whenever he entered the room. She was always smiling and laughing whenever he was near. As the years went by, Ray noted the smile she had reserved especially for him never wavered. That was until he left.

After he left to reincarnate, Mintha did everything she could to busy herself so that she would not be tempted go into the human world and snatch him from there.

"I hate him and I love him." she began, "I want to forget him and move on with my life, but I just can't."

"That was how I felt about Theseus." Ray revealed.

After reconciling, they barely mentioned the past. It hurt them to remember how they were and the roles that they played in the events that led to each other's death. But she had to say it now, Mintha needed to know.

"I was so lonely and miserable in Crete. Every day I prayed for the gods to have mercy and send a brave warrior to save me." Ray smiled a sad smile as she said those words, "The day came and there he was, Theseus, prince of Athens. There to slay the ferocious beast."

Mintha snickered. She was the so-called ferocious beast just because of her little horn on her head. In that lifetime she kept to herself and harmed no one. She tried to do what was best for Ray and loved her. But Ray didn't want her love. She wanted Theseus'. But he wanted Mintha.

"I thought that the gods have finally answered my prayers and had sent him to me…" She laughed bitterly, "Now that I have time to reflect on it I realize how foolish I was back then. He was completely wrong for me. He was, well, a brute. There was no romance, no spark. We could barely keep a conversation going and I couldn't stand his callous personality."

"But you loved him." Mintha stated.

"I thought I did." Ray closed her eyes and muttered a pray before she asked her, "Why do you love Ambrosius?"

"Because he is mine and I don't mean ownership. He was my first love – mine, not my mother's."

Feeling braver, Ray pressed on. "Are you really in love with him? Are you certain?"

Mintha stared at Ray confused. "What do you mean?"

"Lacy - Mintha," she corrected herself.

After Mintha had revealed the truth of the switch to her, she had asked Ray to call her by her real name, Mintha, instead of Lacy. It was a technique meant to assistance her in distinguishing her identity from the one that was force upon her. Deep down she fears that if they stop using her name she would forget who she was again and morph back into Lacy.

"I want you to ask yourself if you truly love him. Is this feeling you have for him because he was the first man you met in the human world? He was your slave. You were close." Ray reasoned what had caused her to fall for him, "Do you love Ambrosius?" she asked her once again, wanting to know if she was certain. "Or is it because he was convenient? Safe. You own him. He can't reject you without feeling your wrath for eternity."

Mintha fisted the mask in her hand as she contemplated her words.

"Mintha, I don't want you to live in grief like me. I lied to myself. I tricked myself into believing that I loved Theseus when I didn't. I chose to have him in my heart, because it was convenient and he…he was there. I threw myself at the first man I saw and regretted it. I made decisions I should not have. I hurt everyone around me. I pushed you away, when you were the only one that really loved me, for a man that I barely tolerated. I didn't know how blind I was until it was too late." Ray took the mask from Mintha, and held it in front of her to emphasize her point. "Are you really in love with him or are you blind?"

Silence surrounded them before the mask in Ray's hand broke in half and turned to ash. Without a word, Mintha stood up and left her chambers. Ray stayed behind, seeing that she needed to be alone with her thoughts.

%

_True love never ends,_

_Love in a previous life is destined to be continued in the present,_

_But the memory of your looks have faded away,_

As Mintha lay in her coffin/bed she thought over the speech Ray had given her earlier, and wondered if she was brave enough to go through with the promise she had given Ambrosius. She planned on reincarnating again to find herself. Hopefully this time around she would live long enough to become a teenager at least. What had her worrying and apprehensiveness was because she wanted to have Ambrosius in her new life. She was in love with Ambrosius of that she was certain of, but she still had doubts about him.

He abandoned her once. What if he does it again? Will she be able to handle this time around?

_I will not allow the mortals to arouse my emotions,_

_Unexpectedly the fate is to bind us for all our lives,_

_Like the moon in the mirror the celestial in the water,_

Eleven thousand years they spent together. It felt so short compared to the time they spent apart. For over twenty years he was gone from her side. She felt so empty without him.

While he was gone, she either stayed in her coffin or aimlessly floated around the Underworld for some time. But then, Persephone stepped in and gave her a handful of college brochures and coaxed her into attending them for fun. Mintha took the brochures and promised to look them over.

_I have been wondering around the world only to search for you forever,_

_Having been waiting for thousands of years,_

_Time make me feel lonely,_

_From which no one could escape,_

Months later she chose a major and filled out an application after using her powers to gain the common knowledge she needed to get accepted. College was exactly what she needed to distract her. Assignments were constantly given and she developed a social life among the humans under a false name, Anna. And during all that time, Ambrosius was still on her mind, although she had severed her ties to him like Hades had conceived her to do.

_Deeply in love,_

_I feel it's so hard to get rid of this great sorrow_

_When on earth will you come back?_

Hades told her whatever happens to Ambrosius would not be too bad. He would suffer through hardships and endure cold nights, but he would survive and it would make him a better man. Later in life he would marry a wonderful woman and have children.

Mintha was happy for Ambrosius. She honestly was. But she didn't know why the thought of him getting married and having children upset her so much.

_With feelings grow stronger,_

_I can't bear any longer,_

_However, I'm still waiting for you,_

With the desire to understand herself more and learn to evaluate her feelings and emotions, Mintha majored in psychiatry. Through self-examination, she found out that she was in love with Ambrosius. She realized that she secretly knew all along of his feelings for her and ignored them because she thought it would ruin what they had if she admitted to it. In short: she was in denial. Deep denial.

She also found out that something was something wrong with her memories out what had transpired the day her mother had died. Someone had been tampering with them. That someone was Hades.

_Lingering blindly,_

_I'm sinking into love's river,_

_Tangling lightly,_

_Will god show me any mercy?_

Though her findings were devastating, she never regretted it. She thought she was and that she had been living a lie. Everything she had, all the things she owned, her thoughts, her emotions, were not hers. The only thing that was hers was Ambrosius, and he abandoned her.

_Looking back, present or past I still find you in my heart,_

_A promise between us, love will never end and you are my only one,_

_For this life I want to be with you._

_For eternity I wish to be with you_

Mintha slowly turned her head and looked at Pallas, her best friend and one of many of Zeus' children, who was on a sofa next to her coffin in the dimly lighted room. She was fiddling with the colorfully rhinestone ipod her boyfriend had given her. Ever since he got her the ipod, she has been downloading countless music and playing songs she thinks are appropriate with the current situation or her moods at the time.

In an attempt to lighted Mintha's mood, Pallas was trying to find a song she thought Mintha would like. Mintha allowed her to do as she pleased, humoring her.

Pallas turned her head to meet Mintha's gaze and gave her an optimistic smile. "What do you think of Millennium?"

Mintha remained silent as she listened to the lyrics she had been ignoring until now.

"Doesn't it just make you shiver?" Pallas inserted.

"Play a different one, please."

"Okay," Pallas quickly turned the music off and searched for another one.

_Oh! I've been travelin' on this road too long!_

_Just tryin' to find my way back home!_

_The old me's dead and gone! Dead and gone!_

"No,"

_If I died young bury me in satin_

_Lay me down on a, bed of roses_

_Sink me in the river at dawn_

_Send me away with the words of a love song_

"I'm sorry!" Pallas blurted out in seeing the sadness on Mintha's face and realized that it was inconsiderate of her to play that particular song. As many times Mintha had died…

Pallas studied her face as she played the next one and noted that Mintha was fine with it.

_Where's the love? Do you see the old days?_

_Is there still love remaining? Do you still have some for me?_

_Since when are we people who just live together, day by day?_

_Letting the loneliness gang up on me, I'm drowning in tears._

_However far apart we are, do you know the longer it is, the further we become?_

_We're in a small room, yet you're as far as the horizon_

_My endurance isn't enough to deal with your indifference_

_We're becoming strangers holding hands_

_Though you still haven't left that's what it's starting to feel like_

_The difference is that your body still hasn't gone_

_It hurts right here…in my heart_

_I'm close to dying_

_Unable to find where my same old lover went_

_It hurts right here…in my sight_

_Seeing that you're not far, the world turned dark like someone has died…_

"Pallas,"

"I'm sorry. I swear I'll find a more upbeat one."

_The mortal world laughs, kindness and hatred end_

_People exchange blows, smiles hide blades_

_The mortals laugh a lonely laugh_

Pallas smiled as she saw Mintha's mood had improved. She was happy to see that she was able to help her dear friend.

_The heart is too high, it cannot be reached_

_The bright moon shines, the road is far_

_People grow old, the heart does not._

_Cannot love, cannot let go_

_Can never forget your splendor_

_It seems a flower yet is not, appears as a mist yet is not._

Mintha went to her closet and took out Christine's corpse.

Seeing that Mintha was in no mood to hear music, Pallas turned her ipod off.

Mintha stood behind Christine's corpse, who sat on the stool in front of her vanity. She was preparing Christine for when she presented her to Artemis in her place. Artemis never saw Mintha with flesh and bones before and didn't know what she looked like. Tricking her would be easy, but she could not give Christine to Artemis until her black hair was replaced with Mintha's auburn ones. Well, it used to be auburn at one time.

Mintha never liked it. She thought her discolored hair was hideous. It was a constant remind of Artemis' abandonment, which was the reason why she didn't hesitate to cut it off and give it back to her.

There was a time, in the beginning, where Mintha thought Artemis would love her and hold her, showering her with affection. But that would never happen… and Mintha didn't want Artemis' love anymore. She realized that Artemis would never love her, and her hair was the one thing she would ever give her.

Mintha no longer cared for Artemis, or what she would give her, and she would not accept her as her mother. Leuce was the only mother she knew, the one who loved her. She was the one who would hold her when she needed her to and shower her with affection. And the only one who never forgot her when she thought she had died.

Her mother may be gone, but her memories live on through her.

"Lacy,"

Mintha glanced at Pallas, who was lying on a couch, her chin resting on her fist.

"I mean_ Mintha,_" Pallas corrected herself, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder and stretching in an oversized black T-shirt, she had borrowed from her boyfriend, and denim shorts.

She was of the few people who knew that Mintha had been pretending to be Lacy and how far Hades went to complete the switch.

He tricked Mintha into walking into the pool of memory by claiming that she would be helping Persephone in retrieving Lacy's memories for her. She got the memories all right. After she drowned to death in the pool, while absorbing the memories as she struggled to live, he removed her soul and placed it in Lacy's body. When she awoken, she thought she was Lacy and that Mintha was the one who died instead.

"Are you really going to go through with your deal with Nick or were you just saying that to get rid of him?" Pallas asked.

Mintha stopped what she was doing and thought over the speech Ray had given her earlier. "I'm doing it. I love Ambrosius. I want to be with him."

"I hear a _but_ somewhere in there."

Ray and Pallas were interrogating her because they meant well, but Mintha couldn't help the feeling that everyone was ganging up on her. She felt that they were treating her differently since she was an imposter. That thought made her feel a lot bettering than admitting that they were treating her differently because she was a child and they're trying to handle her with gloves.

"You're right. There is." There was no use lying. "I'm going to test his love for me. I know it's real, but I want to know _how_ real."

Pallas knitted her brows in confusion. "How?"

"You'll see."

Pallas let out a sound of frustration. When Mintha said those words it meant that she was going to have to wait and find out just like everyone else. She would pout until Mintha told her what she was planning, but it never works. Mintha was immune to her.

"You were small," Pallas stated, studying Christine's corpse. She was sitting on the stool, her eyes closed, and her hands were neatly folded on her lap. She resembled a doll in her white T-shirt and pink overalls.

"I was not small. I was the average size of how a five year old should be." Mintha huffed. Hands on her hips, she realized she was acting like the child she swore to herself she wouldn't be. Lowering her arms, she looked at her old body and sighed, "If only people would let me be and maybe I'll live to adulthood one of these days."

"But you're in adult bodies all the time? Doesn't that mean you're an adult already?"

"No, Pallas you don't understand. Hades drowned me to death when I was eight and placed my soul in my mom's body. She was already an adult when she died. She was pretending to be a child because Acheron preferred children over adults." Mintha tilted her head as she thought over the point she was trying to make. "Hmm…you're right Pallas, I was an adult. Eleven thousand years old actually. But I didn't get to be a teenager. I skipped that portion of my life and jumped to the end."

"You were a teenager when you were in Crete and you reached adulthood." Pallas said as a matter of fact.

"I'm not counting it."

"Oh, right because it wasn't you -"

Mintha signaled Pallas to be quiet as Ray entered the room with a box containing her new hair. She was supposed to get it from Ash herself, but unfortunately she was killed before she had the chance. Hades offered to get it for her instead, with the desire to please her and alleviate some of the pain he caused.

"I thought you didn't like Acheron," said Ray as Mintha opened the lid of her coffin and used her powers and removed the offending red hair from her head and replaced it with Acheron's blonde locks.

"No, I don't," answered Mintha.

"Then why are you accepting his hair?"

"It's the least he can give me after telling my mom to go die." Mintha said, putting her red hair on Christine's head. "Now, there are only two things left to do."

"Lacy!" Artemis ran to her as she materialized in her bedroom, dressed in a Victorian style pink dress and bonnet. "Have you found her yet? Acheron knows, he knows about her!"

"Artemis, calm down,"

Artemis ran her fingers through her hair and began to pull at the strands. "Calm down? How can I calm down! He's vivid that I kept her existence from him! At least with Katra I could say he was the one who rejected her, but not with her. My baby, even Katra doesn't know about her!"

A goblet of wine materialized and splashed on Artemis' face. She stopped her raving and stared at Lacy in shock. "What was that for?"

"You needed it." Lacy said.

Artemis vanished the wine from her face and glared at Lacy. She wanted to fire back at her for the wine, but held her tongue while reminding herself why she was tolerating her antics.

Their plan was for Lacy to distract Acheron, while they secretly searched for Mintha, the human child Artemis had Lacy create for her to give to Acheron as a present. Lacy had created Mintha by fusing the pearls and white rose petals Ash had offered Artemis on her feast day, back when they started seeing each other. When he had loved her. She figured since he liked children so much she should create one for him from his offering. Then, he would forget about Apollodorus and surrender all of his attention to her.

Mintha was supposed to be Acheron's companion, while Artemis was busy with other matters. She never had the chance to give her to him because Acheron had to be difficult. What he put her through was so traumatic that it forced her to forget about Mintha.

She forgot about Mintha for thousands of years until Lacy suddenly brought her up. Artemis recalled letting Lacy have Mintha since she was angry at Acheron and thought she no longer needed her. Lacy took her to the Underworld and lost her somewhere.

"I found her."

Artemis' eyes widen, "Really? Where? Where is my Mintha?"

If Lacy already found Mintha then all Artemis had to do was give Mintha drops of Acheron's blood, some of hers and voila, they have another daughter together. Artemis would have given Mintha her blood, since it was mixed with Acheron's already but decided against it. There was a chance it might not work. She might end up with a daughter with just her blood, not Acheron's and there was no point in that. The plan would only work if she was Acheron's daughter too.

When she does get a just a drop of his blood, Artemis would make Mintha her perfect child. Unlike with Katra, Artemis would raise Mintha differently. She had learnt from her mistakes with Katra. She knew that Acheron's worse fear was to have one of his children hate him and that was exactly what she was planning to do. She'll make Mintha hate Acheron.

The memory of how helpless he was when she had Christina was still fresh on her mind. He was at her mercy and ready to do anything she wanted.

Lacy pulled a small figure from behind her and presented her to Artemis.

"What happened?" she asked as she saw that Mintha was disfigured. Scars riddled her face and something was wrong with her hair.

Artemis had put her hair on Mintha to remind Acheron of her, so he would always think of her, but it didn't look like her beautiful auburn hair anymore. It was discolored, terribly discolored.

"You broke her while you were having one of your fits and as for the hair, you left her out in the sun for too long. It's bleached."

Artemis scoffed and knelt in front of Mintha to examine her. "I did no such thing." She said to Lacy, then turned to Mintha. "Do you know your mean daddy left me for some ugly human and your sister dare ignore me? She'd rather spent time with her -"

"Artemis," said Lacy, but Artemis paid her no attention and continued her ranting.

"-reject of a husband. You're the only one I have left, now."

"Artemis," Lacy said more sternly.

Artemis turned to Lacy. "What?"

"What did you tell Acheron about Mintha?"

Artemis grabbed Mintha, intending to use her as a human shield and backed away as Lacy advanced, her eyes glowing red.

"All right!" Artemis surrendered as her back hit a wall, "I lied! I told Acheron that Hades cut my stomach opened and ripped her out."

Lacy's eyes continued to glow. "Why?"

"I was under stress – what's the difference! Mintha _will_ be his daughter. Once we have his blood-"

"You told him you had your belly cut opened to gain his sympathy?" Lacy interrupted Artemis before she could finish her sentence.

"Well, I can't tell him I plan on stealing his blood and finish making her. He'd be pissed!"

"You mean pissing," Lacy corrected her, though she knew it was wrong.

"Pissing? But Acheron told me -"

Lacy had her hand over her hips. "Are you really going to believe him over _me_?"

"But if I've been saying it right, then why are Acheron and everyone always correcting me?" Artemis mused.

"Artie, don't you see? They want you to sound idiotic."

Artemis' mouth formed an O as she finally realized her evil family's scheme. "They were trying to make me look a fool!"

Lacy nodded as she took Mintha from Artemis. Artemis saw the movement and reached for Mintha but Lacy kept her out of her reach.

"Give her back! She's mine!"

Lacy plucked the bits of hair from the Mintha's head and handed them to Artemis. Mintha remained still as a doll, unmoving throughout their exchange. "There, that's all that's yours."

"But -"

"Besides the hair, everything else is mine."

"But she's mine, Acheron gave her to me!" Artemis retorted.

"You're the one who was afraid Apollo would find out about your relationship with Acheron and rejected his offering."

Artemis clenched her fist. What Lacy said hurt her more than if she slapped her on the face. She thought Ash had betrayed her by revealing their relationship. While he was tied down and severely beaten, she struck him across the face with the pearls he'd given her, and whispered to his punisher to beat him harder.

Later, it was revealed that he didn't betray her and they reconciled. Artemis had searched for the pearls and petals to show Acheron that she accepted them, but alas, some human had found them and had given them to Hades as an offering. Artemis had to go to the Underworld and ask Lacy for them, but she refused.

Lacy visited her temple while Acheron was there alone and fell madly in love with him. She befriended him in the guise of a child, because she found out he preferred the company of children over adults. Children are pure and innocent. They lack the prejudiced beliefs of adults and held not desire to attack him on sight.

"You feared the other gods would find Mintha and didn't want to give her your blood. I gave her mine and I was the one who breathe life into her. Not you. You carelessly put her threw her aside and forgot about her. Mintha is my daughter…mmm…" she thought it over, "She's our daughter. Yours and mine. Not yours and Acheron's."

Artemis screamed in frustration, but Lacy silenced her with one look and made to leave but Artemis stopped her.

"Where are you going? You said you'd help me get Acheron back!"

"Yes, and I recall telling you - specifically - not to get Hermes involve, which you did. The deal is off."

"What?" Artemis could not believe what she was hearing.

But with Lacy's sudden change of mind, they could not go through with their plan. How did she find out about her deal with Hermes, anyways?

"If our deal is off, then give me Nicky back!"

"Can't, Ambrosius belongs to me _way_ before he went to you." An amused smile spread across Lacy's face. "It's kind of like how you owned Ash, but I'm not jumping him every chance I get and you didn't take Ambrosius from me – like how Tory took Ash from you – " she said, with the intention of hurting her with the reminder, "I simply let you borrow him for a while."

Artemis didn't understand what Lacy was talking about. Ambrosius was Lacy's servant, who always followed her around like one of her hounds. She had seen him a few times but never actually looked at him, since he was a lowly human. Last she heard he reincarnated about twenty years age…

Artemis' jaw dropped as she realized that Nick was Ambrosius.

"No matter what happened between us. I still care about you, Artie. I do." Lacy went to Artemis and cupped her face, staring directly into her eyes, her voice sweet yet sinister at the same time. "You were just so pathetic after losing your sex slave that I took pity on you and allowed you to play with Ambrosius until you could pull yourself together."

Artemis' anger was mixed with fear as she saw Lacy's eyes morph into a swirling silver, exactly identical to Acheron's. It was something that always made her curious. They mirrored Acheron's eyes so well that she often confused the two. But unlike Acheron, Lacy's eyes held a high level of cruelty that frightened her.

Artemis eyes widen as Lacy's face suddenly morphed into Acheron's. His true from, blue skin and all. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Acheron disappeared and Lacy was standing in front of her again. She was looking at her like she was her next meal. She had been vomiting coins for a long time and figured Lacy was just toying with her head.

There was a rumor among the gods that after returning from Kalosis, Lacy had developed an appetite for flesh, flesh of other gods. Although there are rules that gods couldn't kill each other, without being punished by ones who governed them, Lacy somehow found a way around it.

Apollo once told Artemis that Hermes told him that when she broke up with him, Lacy bit him in the chest and tore the flesh from his body. Apparently, Hermes stupidly swore to Lacy that he'd rather have his flesh tore off piece by piece then to ever break her heart. Artemis didn't know what Hermes did to upset Lacy but one thing was certain, she went through with her end of their deal.

She trapped him in his own temple for years, torturing him. His screams could be heard throughout Olympus, but no one cared enough to go check on him. Honestly, everyone thought they were just having rough sex and whatever Lacy did to him must've not been that bad. Thousands of years later and he was still crazy about her.

Lacy released Artemis and picked Mintha up.

"Wave bye, bye to your mommy," Lacy told Mintha before they vanished.

%

"Lacy?" Hermes jumped off his bed in seeing the love of his life materialized in his bedroom, in a long white dress and large sunglasses. "Lacy, I've miss you!" He ran to hug her but she held her palm out to stop him.

"Come with me,"

His bedroom dissolved and they were standing the middle of a chamber that was bare except for a coffin in the center.

"What is this?" Hermes asked, narrowing his eyes at the coffin.

Lacy did not answer him. She stepped forward and gestured for him to stand next to her. When she pushed the lid open, Hermes' nearly jumped out of his skin at what he saw. It was Lacy. And she was dead.

Lacy turned to Hermes and stared at him through her sunglasses. "This is Leuce. She is the one you love. She's dead."

Hermes' head snapped to Lacy, the one standing next to him and shook his head in denial.

"You're standing right in front of me! How can you be dead?"

"I. Am. Not. Leuce. I'm her daughter." She removed her sunglasses, revealing that she was indeed not Lacy. She had similar features to her but her face was rounder and her nose was pointier, and her eyes were blue.

Hermes looked from the sleeping Lacy to the woman stand before him and back. "You're her daughter?" he breathed.

"Yes, I'm her daughter…with you."

"How? We only did it once and it was quick."

"Mom had me and never told you." She explained to him.

"She hates me that much."

"Yeah."

It was wicked of her to trick him, but Mintha didn't have a choice. Hermes proved enough that he would not relent in his mission to sleep with her. The only way for these over sexed god to leave her be was for her to lie to him and claim that he was her father.

Pallas, who Mintha sent to spy on those in Olympus, had overheard Artemis and Hermes making their deal, while she was in owl form, and told her.

Mintha had thought of ways to get Hermes off her trail but couldn't find any other solution but this. With the knowledge that she was his daughter, he would stop chasing her for sex and she would have his protection when she needed it. If she was lucky, he would ignore her and forget about her as fast as he could find his next play thing.

"Me and Lacy had a kid…wow…" Hermes said to himself.

She nodded and hugged him, her head resting on his shoulder. Tears were falling from her cheeks and she didn't know the reason why. Maybe she felt bad about lying to Hermes? It was the same thing Hades had done to her. But why would she care? She had no attachments to him and to be fair the body she was possessing _was_ Hermes' daughter with some random human he probably didn't remember bedding.

Mintha got it when Kit, Hermes's half human daughter he doesn't know about, sold her soul to her for fame. Typical human desires… Mintha only agreed to it because she wanted Kit's body to possess. She got it after Kit's boyfriend's wife killed them after finding them in bed together.

From what Mintha knew Lacy and Hermes never had sex. Her mother died a virgin. What he was referring to was a time in their youth when they used to practice kissing. He got over excited and came in his robes. Hermes needed sex education if he really thought he could get her pregnant from that.

Mintha knew a man had to be inside a woman to conceive because her great-grandma, Demeter, was the goddess of fertility. One of Demeter's powers was to ensured humans and gods alike that they could produce offspring. Translation: she controls man's ability to come… among other things.

It was how she pursued Hades to give her back Persephone. She threatened him with blue balls for eternity. But Hades wouldn't give up his love. He blackmailed her on the one secret she never wanted anyone to know. That was how they came up with the idea of sharing Persephone for different times of the year.

"I can't believe I have a dad…" Mintha murmured.

Having a father was a sore subject for her. Since the moment Mintha knew the meaning of the term, it felt like she was constantly searching for her father, which was odd. She didn't have a father. She never did. Not until the day Hades pretended to be her father.

Mintha loved Hades and believed he loved her as well. But it was all a lie. The life she had been living was a complete sham. Hades didn't love her. He murdered her and brainwashed her. He discarded her body like it was nothing. Hid it in a dark and cold chamber where she lay alone and forgotten until she broke free...

"Are you all right?" Hermes asked her, feeling her hold on him having tightened.

"Yeah, dad," she replied, "I'm sorry. I'm just so overwhelmed."

%

After Hermes left the Underworld, Mintha materialized in the throne room. Hades immediately stood up in acknowledgement, ready to aid her in anything she was plotting.

"I'm still angry." Mintha told him up front, conjuring a scroll in her hand and held it out to him.

"Of course." Hades said as he took the scroll and skimmed though the list of names. "Done." As he looked back at her his gaze darkened with concern. "Are you all right?"

Where was the concern when she was dying? He just stood on the shore and watched, waiting for hours. Couldn't he have just snapped her neck and gotten it over with? That would have been quicker and less trouble for her. Her original corpse wouldn't have been so damaged then.

Till today Hades claimed that he was doing her a favor. He could say whatever he wanted to make himself feel better, but Mintha didn't believe him.

"Fine." Before he could say another word, Mintha flashed back to her room. She was still angry as she had told him and was in no mood to speak with him anymore than necessary.

"That was quick." stated Pallas, who was exactly where she had left her, lying on the couch. "I thought it would at least take you more time to convince him to approve of the list."

"He's in guilt mode. He'll agree to anything I want." Mintha said, falling on the chair in front of her vanity in exhaustion.

Pallas would have praised her for her luck, but it wasn't luck. She pushed herself of the cushioned and stood behind Mintha.

Mintha glanced at Pallas' reflection on the mirror and sighed. "What is it?"

"What do you mean?" Pallas innocently asked, her hazel eyes glittering.

"You want something."

"Wow, I didn't even ask you yet and you already know. You're so great -"

"Just tell me." Mintha breathed out, her head lowering.

Forgetting what she was going to ask her, Pallas bit her bottom lip, worried about Mintha's odd behavior and paler than usual complexion. Her skin was so transparent that it enabled her to see her red and blue blood vessels beneath. She knelt on the floor and hugged her from behind. "What's wrong?" she released her in alarm when she felt her body go limp and disappeared.

"Over here." Came Mintha's squeaky little voice.

Pallas turned around and spotted Mintha in her real body sitting on top of her coffin, wearing a green sweatshirt, and long pants.

Marching to the coffin, Pallas said, "Don't scare me like that. Please, I don't think I can handle it."

"Stop worrying. That body is just suffering through fatigue because of the trauma of going into Olympus and the Underworld in such a short amount of time. It'll recover." Mintha informed her, her silver eyes were normal and still one second and began swirling the next causing Pallas to shiver.

"What about your powers? Are they returning yet?"

"Are my eyes swirling?"

Pallas rubbed the goosebumps on her arms. It was an involuntary side effect resulting from staring at the swirling orbs for too long. "Yes."

Opaque sunglasses appeared on her face to conceal her eyes. "Then they're coming back."

"That's how you know?"

Mintha combed her fingers through her hair, loving the silky texture compared to her old frizzy ones and hating that she had to wear a hat to hide her horns. "Yes,"

"Well, that's convenient. I didn't know when mines were back." Pallas said thoughtfully, and saw Mintha's skin changing, "Your skin is…um changing too. They resemble the markings on the Arcadians."

Mintha studied her arm as her skin undergone a marbled effect. "They do not. It a type of skin rash I think."

"Does it hurt?"

Mintha shook her head.

"Have you gotten it checked?"

"No."

"Mintha," Pallas stressed her name, "what if it's serious?"

"I doubt I can go see a dermatologist about it." Mintha said, annoyed that Pallas was bugging her about her skin. She knew she caught it from a demon she ate the day her mom died, but didn't want to mention it, since it brought back bad memories. Besides, she had it for years now and the rash never gave her problems or discomfort. "What were you going to ask me for?"

Pallas opened and closed her mouth, then tilted her head, figuring out where to start. "You're still friends with Quinn right?" She settled on beginning the conversation with the Were-bear she had once tricked Mintha into going on a blind date with. Mintha had figured out her scheme, but went along anyways for the hell of it.

"Yes,"

"You're close with him? Like really close?"

"Why are you asking about my relationship with Quinn?"

"What I'm going to ask you concerns Quinn too."

"Are you thinking of cheating on Rimi with Quinn or what?" Mintha knew it wasn't true and said those words to make Pallas cut to the chase.

"Okay, I'm asking this favor for Rimi, _and_ Quinn."

"And the occupants of Sanctuary." Mintha said, having already figured out what she wanted.

"Please, please, please," Pallas begged.

Mintha scratched her chin, pretending as if she was thinking hard about it. Her answer was yes, but she wanted to watch Pallas squirm a bit longer.

%


	9. Let the Games Begin

"Arki? Why are you upset?" Simi asked Ash.

Simi was Acheron's Charonte demon companion, given to him when she was a small child, and able to manifest as a human or demon. She rested as an ever-changing tattoo on Ash's body, and was only allowed to leave this form at his bidding. Whenever Simi is part of Ash, she cannot hear or see anything unless Ash gives her an order, but she can feel his emotions.

"Sim," said Ash, "tell me, have you ever met a girl with light blue skin, red hair, white horns, and eyes like mine?" Since Simi had known about his daughter, Katra's, existences for eleven thousand years and never told him, Ash had a feeling that she might have knowledge about his other daughter as well.

"You mean-" Simi gasped and suddenly became quiet.

"Simi," Ash said her name sternly.

"The Simi can't tell about-" Simi gasped once again and somehow Ash had the impression that she was clumping her mouth shut.

"Simi come out," Ash ordered her.

Simi materialized in front of Ash in magenta corset top and black skirt, with fishnet stockings. She played with her black hair while averting her eyes from his. Her actions were prompting Ash to assume she was hiding something from him.

"Simi, do you remember Lacy?"

Simi continued to play with her hair, but gave him a slight nod.

"What's the matter?"

"The Simi can't speak, arki," she whispered, "arki said not to talk about her anymore."

Ash thought over what Simi had said and remember himself forbidding her from speak about Lacy or even talking to her ever again.

"Simi…I'm sorry about what I said. I was angry. I didn't mean it."

Simi squealed with excitement. "The Simi can play with Me and arka Lacy again?"

Ash smiled sadly, realizing that what he had said in anger affected Simi. Because of him she had lost a dear friend. "Yes, you can play with Lacy again."

Her eyes were wide with hopeful. "And Me? Can the Simi play with Me too?"

"You can play with Lacy." Ash repeated himself, thinking she wanted his clarification.

"And Me? Can the Simi play with Me too?" Simi repeated as well, eager for approval.

Ash wondered why she kept repeating that question, when something occurred to him.

"Simi, who's Me?" He asked, although he already guessed the answer.

"Me is arka Lacy's baby."

The truth hit Ash harder than he thought it would and it hurt twice as much as well. He had separated Simi from Lacy_and_Mintha. "Simi, show me your memories of Lacy and Me. Of the last time you saw them."

Ash had reviewed it numerous times, but something didn't seem right. It was as if something was missing but he couldn't place his finger on it.

The room altered into a green meadow. Lacy was sitting on the ground, with Simi and Mintha beside her. Varies flowers lay before them, and it seems Lacy was teaching them about the difference between daisies and lilies. Both children were listening with great interest.

"There, the Simi!" Simi pointed at her younger self, who had long yellow hair, white eyes rimmed with red, dark blue and black wings, black horns, and long, pointy ears. "And Me!"

Just as he saw her before, Mintha had swirling silver eyes and frizzy bright red hair. She was smaller than Simi, much smaller. Lacy, beautiful as usual, had her curly black hair tied in a braid and her emerald green eyes shined brightly.

Ash smiled at the scene but sober when he remembered why they were there.

Suddenly Lacy stood up and stared into space. "Your arki's done with his training. I have to talk to him about something. You two wait here, okay."

"The Simi watch Me," Little Simi stated.

Ash recalled what she wanted to speak to him about. She had asked him how he felt about getting Simi a playmate, another child. He misinterpreted her question and thought that she was asking him if they could have a child together, because he suspected that she was harboring feelings for him. He told her that he didn't want the responsibility of taking care of another child and ordered her not to bring it up again. He was such a fool. She was asking him about Mintha, wondering if he would like to meet her.

"What's the matter?" Ash asked the older Simi, seeing her lower her eyes.

"The Simi bad. The Simi didn't watch Me."

After Lacy left, an orange butterfly flew over little Simi's head. She hopped up and chased after it, leaving Mintha alone in the meadow. Catching the butterfly on her hand, Simi put it in her mouth and chewed. She returned to the meadow with a wide grin on her face.

"Simi, where's Me?" Lacy was staring at empty spot where Mintha sat.

"The Simi don't know…" little Simi said quietly, realizing that she did something wrong.

"Mintha! Mintha!" Lacy shouted in panic. Her head snapped to the right as if she sensed something and ran toward that direction.

Little Simi stood alone, looking toward the direction where Lacy disappeared and then to where Ash would have been. For several minutes she debated if she should follow Lacy. She wanted to go to see where Mintha was, but was afraid she was going to get into trouble for leaving the area again.

Deciding to join Lacy in her search for Mintha, little Simi went in the direction she did. Screams of terror could be heard as she ran through the wood. Simi pushed through the brushes and witnessed what Ash thought were humans, but were actually Apollites, rolling on the ground in agony.

Lacy stood watching and turned around to face Simi. Her eyes were red with tears and her face was devoid of emotion. In her arms she cradled something.

"Me?" Simi said, looking left and right for her.

Lacy lowered her arms, revealing a pearl the size of her fist, warped in a bloody sheet. The bloody sheet was the clothes Mintha was wearing.

Simi tilted her head in confusion. "Me?"

"She's sleeping." Lacy said in a hoarse tone as she slowly glanced at the bodies. At this point the screams had stopped and the bodies were unrecognizable.

Simi jumped when Ash suddenly appeared.

"What happened?" Ash demanded, gazing at the carnage, then back at Lacy and Simi. "What did you do? Are you insane, Lacy?"

"Yes," Lacy replied, holding the bloody sheet securely.

Ash grabbed Simi and pulled her away from Lacy.

"Ash, I need your help." Lacy pleaded.

"Stay away from us -"

"Please." She sounded desperate but he would not hear it.

Simi looked from Ash to Lacy, afraid of both of them. Lacy was calmed, as usual, but she was not warm and friendly like Simi was used too.

"Why are you so cruel?"

"Please."

"You're just like Artemis! You never listen to what I have to say."

A silence pause followed Ash's outburst.

"I do listen." Lacy whispered.

"Did you kill them?"

"Yes. They deserve more -"

"Why are you this way?"

"I can't help how I was raised."

Ash recoiled, believing her words were meant to insult him.

"I need your help."

Ash surveyed their surroundings. "Looks like you're doing just fine."

"Please."

"Stay away from me." Ash picked up Simi and stepped back. "You claim you are just and fair, but deep down you're selfish and ignorant. I pray for the poor souls you judge."

"If that's how you feel about me, then we won't bother you anymore." Lacy said before she vanished.

Ash pulled away from the memory and contemplated what he had seen.

"The Simi sorry,"

"It's not your fault." Ash told her. "Simi, why was Me a pearl?"

"That's 'cause Me is made of pearls and petals. When Me die she turn back."

"Me died?" That was why Lacy was asking him for help. She wanted him to save Mintha. Mintha was murdered by those Apollites. It was the reason why Lacy slaughtered them.

He had completely misunderstood her. He let his relationship with Artemis effect his relationship with Lacy and drove her and his daughter away. It's too late to beg Lacy for forgiveness. But he hoped it's not too late to beg Mintha.

"Simi, go to Tory." He told her and flashed to Hades.

Hades looked up from his throne as Ash materialized. For a split second he thought he saw alarm in the other man's face but that quickly vanished as soon as it came.

"Where's Mintha?"

Hades came down from his throne, ready for a fight if needed. "In her room."

"I need to speak with her."

"She doesn't want to speak with you. To anyone." Hades said steadily. "She's upset right now. If you add to her irritation she'll get pissed and bolted to who knows where."

Although it irked Ash that he knew so little about his daughter, he took Hades' advice. He was the man who had reared her, not him. "When?"

Hades snapped his fingers and loud music began to play, echoing throughout the room.

_Sunshine, rainbows and lollipops!_

"She's still playing hideous music …" Hades said as an eye twitched. "I'd say she'll be pissed for a while. She doesn't want me to listen in on her while she's in her room." He explained, "So she's forcing me to listen to music I hate if I try. Honestly, I'd rather have her blasting something else in ear bleeding volumes than this."

Suddenly the music stopped and Linkin Park's song Crawling began playing in ear bleeding volumes.

_**CRAWLING IN MY SKIN THESE WOUNDS THEY WILL NOT HEAL…**_

_**FEAR IS HOW I FALL! CONFUSING WHAT IS REAL…**_

_**OOOOOOOH…**_

Hades' winced at the lyrics of the song. It seemed as if he'd prefer the kiddy music from earlier. When he snapped his finger to turn off the music, he found that not only didn't it work. The music was becoming louder. "I think she knows you're here." He said to Ash as if to say that the song was meant for him.

The lyrics were an artistic slap to both of their faces, but something told Ash the song was meant for Hades more than him. If Hades' irritated mood was an indication. "What's she mad at you about?" he curiously asked.

_**THERE'S SOMETHING INSIDE ME THAT PULLS BENEATH THE SURFACE…**_

_**CONSUMING…**_

_**CONFUSING…**_

_**THIS LACK OF SELF-CONTROL I FEEL IS NEVER ENDING…**_

Hades sent Ash a peeved glare. "She's just going through a rebellious phase!" he shouted over the music, unwilling to admit anything to Ash. He cleared his throat. "Leave, Mintha's busy."

Ash shook his head. "No, I have to talk to her now."

"All right. Go ahead." Hades shrugged, "She's in there with Lacy's corpse."

Ash stiffened. A feeling of remorse overwhelmed him at the mention of Lacy's name.

_**CONTROLLING…**_

_**I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND MYSELF AGAIN MY WALLS ARE CLOSING IN…**_

"Did you bring any flowers?" Hades causally asked him, with a hint of bitterness in his tone. "It's all right if you didn't. I doubt it would cheer Mintha up anyways." He sighed and continued, "Mintha was very attached to Lacy. They were bonded you know. When Lacy died, Mintha lost her sanity. She only finds solace when she's near her mother."

Hades was hell bent on him not seeing Mintha, of that Ash was certain of, or else he wouldn't have brought up Lacy in the conversation. There was a tightness in Ash's chest. He was debating if he should interrupt Mintha and Lacy's time alone.

A satisfied grin spread across Hades' face as Ash sighed and vanished, materializing in Savitar's island where the sun literally never set. Magical in nature, the island constantly moved around the world as Savitar searched out the "perfect" wave.

"I was wondering when you'd get here." Savitar drawled.

He was standing on the shores, in cargo pants and a Hawaiian shirt, expecting him. Of course he was. The Chthonian knew everything.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ash demanded.

"I told you I won't tamper with your fate, ever."

"By any chance do I have any more children? I would like to have a heads up if another one's going to pop out of nowhere." Ash was unable to have children because of the operation he was forced to have. He never considered it would be an issue. Simi was his only child until he found out about Katra, and now Mintha…What was he to do?

"There's a reason why Hades doesn't want you meeting Mintha."

"That is?"

"If Simi's father appears and demand her back, will you give her up willingly?"

"No. She's_my_daughter I…" Ash was silent as he considered Savitar's question. "He fears I will steal her love from him."

"The two of you would have met much earlier, but Hades interfered and kept you separated. He fears she would favor you over him."

"We were supposed to meet earlier?" Ash murmured.

Savitar grinned. "She talks my ear off every year about a visiting a convention of costume wearing humans, who gather in Atlanta."

"You mean she goes to Dragon Con too?"

"Religiously, but you miss each other just by a hair."

Ash smiled as he realized what Savitar was revealing to him. "I can look back at my memories and see her there, at Dragon Con."

%

After Mintha finished informing Nick the rules of her hide and seek game, he left the Underworld, giving her his word that he would wait for Pallas to tell him when the games begin. Pallas was dating Rimi, who lived and worked at Sanctuary, so that was the first place Nick went to wait for her. While there Nick heard the most interesting thing. Apparently, Kyle, Rimi's younger brother, ran Mintha over with his car and she died suffering on the operation table.

In response to the news he planned to tear apart the newly renovated bar and restaurant in search of Kyle and kill him, not before torturing the bear with his new found powers. Pallas appeared and ordered him to stop or else she'd inform Mintha that he had broken their agreement. Before he left her presence, Mintha made him swore that he would stay out of trouble and try not to whore his soul out to the highest bidder. Because this time she might just let them keep him and his chances with her would be zero.

Nick retreated to his home, incredibly pissed. He barricaded himself in his room, waiting for the anger to dissolve. It didn't.

With the desire to see what had happened to Mintha, Nick took out his scrying mirror. It was a window to the universe. He could use it to show him everything it wanted to see. It was like watching TV or a closed-circuit camera. The mirror began to smoke, shapes formed.

He saw a woman in her early twenties, holding hands with a five year old, who he assumed was Christine. They had just exited the toy store.

"Ray, can I play with these?" Christine held up her roller blades.

"Okay," Ray replied.

Ray helped her put on the roller blades and pads. Christine rolled down the sidewalk, excited and carefree. That was until a car slammed into her.

"It was an accident."

Nick looked up from the mirror and glanced around his bedroom, ready to kill the intruder, but there was no one. "Who's there?"

"If I have to tell you, then we might as well not waste our time playing this game."

Now that she put it like that. "Mintha, where are you?"

"I'm not coming out unless you put your mirror away and close your eyes." She ordered in a bossy tone he was so used to hearing back when they were kids. God! He missed it.

Nick immediately did as she ordered and closed his eyes and felt a soft hand covering them. "Scared I'm going to sneak a peek?" he teased.

"Keep running your mouth and I'm leaving."

Nick grabbed her wrist to keep her hand over his eyes and her trapped right where she was. "What are you going to reward me if I keep quiet?"

In the beginning, Nick was an impossible slave to handle. She would constantly have to beat him to force him to obey her. But over time, seeing that he was not going to listen to her, Mintha used a new method in order to train him. She offered him rewards as an incentive.

"What do you want?"

Nick's eyes darted left and right through the darkness of his eyelids as he felt her hand trembling in anticipation. "A kiss."

"Hmm…" There was a long silence before she answered him. "Okay."

"Really?" He was joking, he didn't believe she would actually say yes.

Before he knew it, soft lush lips were pressed against his. Nick was stunned as he tasted her. For an instant, time stood still as his breath mixed with hers and her tongue swept against his. It was different from their last kiss. In this one she was kissing him with everything she had, pressing her body onto his. The hands over his eyes were gone, cupping his face and dragging through his hair. Nick happily encouraged her by wrapping his arms around her narrow waist, pressing her onto him. Burning the feel of her body to his memory.

She slowly pulled away from his lips to nibble in his ear and whispered, "Forget about killing Kyle. I will not allow it."

Nick kept his eyes close, since she hadn't allowed him to open them yet, and tried to continue enjoying her touch. But the possessive tone in her voice when she spoke Kyle's name pissed him off. "Why would you care if I kill him? It's not like you can't bring him back." For me to kill him all over again.

If Kyle was Mintha's slave as well that meant he would be in close proximity with her. And that was one thing he couldn't allow. She was his. His.

He had to wrap this game of theirs up quick, because he wanted to make sure Kyle didn't touch her. Just like he wanted no other man to touch her. He would fight any man who trespassed on his territory. His woman. He wanted her even when they were kids. Yeah, that's how screwed up he was.

"Jealous?" Mintha released his hair and tried to pull away from him, but he tightened his hold on her.

"Do you like him?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Very much."

"More than me?"

"Never." She gave him a peak on his lips and slipped something that felt like a large thin cardboard in his hands before she disappeared.

Nick opened his eyes and looked at the book she left him. "Where's Waldo?"

This must be a clue to finding her.

He flipped opened to the first page and scanned for the red and white strip wearing man in the crowd. He found two Waldos' in a flower shop, standing behind a table, holding roses and clippers in their hands.

With the urge to leave his home, Nick went out into the streets. He ventured for an hour before something caught his eye. A flower shop had opened while he was away.

There were two women standing behind a table, cutting thorns from a dozen roses. Both were brunettes, had amber eyes, and tanned skin.

Nick tucked the book on his side as he walked through the threshold the bell chimed.

The women turned to look at him and exchanged suspicious glances. Nick stopped as he saw both of their faces began to blur. White masks with silver lines appeared over their faces, and disappeared a moment later.

He had the power of perspicacity. The ability to see what's hidden, but it seems Mintha had taken care of it by placing invisible masks over her and her decoys' faces. It didn't matter to him what she had up her sleeves. He'd find her.

The tallest place her tools down and wiped her hands.

"Hi, I'm Paige. How may I help you?"

"Nothing…I just came back home from a trip and saw your shop." That looks exactly like the one in the book.

Paige smiled sweetly. "Yes, we just opened it today. Feel free to look around." she waved her hand at her surroundings and excused herself to the back of the counter.

Nick glanced at the other woman, catching her staring at him while talking on the phone with someone. She quickly averted her gaze, said goodbye, and hung up the phone.

Nick turned back to Paige, who loudly cleared her throat. "Julie, we need more ribbons." She said, pointing to a door behind her.

Julie nodded nervous dropped everything she was holding in her table. As she walked passed him she tripped on her own feet and would have fell face first on the floor if Nick hadn't caught her in time.

Paige rushed to them and helped them up. "Julie, you okay!"

"Y-yeah…" Julie breathed then turned to Nick. "Thank you."

"We're going to the back for a second. Can you please, please watch the store for us?" Paige asked Nick.

"Sure,"

After two minutes, Paige returned, smiling broadly at Nick. It seemed sincere, but he could tell it was just for show. And something didn't seem right…or they didn't seem right…

"Thanks for watching the store for me. You're so sweet."

"It's okay, but really you shouldn't be so trusting of me. You don't know me. I could be a psycho killer -"

Paige burst out laughing. "You sound like my brothers."

"I'm just being realistic." Nick stated.

"Thanks for your concern, but really, I know you're trustworthy."

Nick arched his brow.

"Nick Gautier, right?"

"Yeah,"

"Some neighbors told me about you. They said you were cool, but watch out, 'cause you're a flirt."

"That was the old me, now I'm...I'm searching for the one."

Paige gave him a knowing smile. "Good luck finding her."

Julie came out from the back room and politely greeted Nick.

"Thanks for catching me." she was no longer nervous in his presence, instead she was cheerful and a little shy. "I'm so clumsy."

"No problem." The book Nick was holding became to burn, indicating that it was his cue leave. He made up an excuse and exited the shop.

Nick flipped to the next page and found Waldo sitting on the sidewalk in front of a museum, reading a book. Recognizing the museum, he walked into a dark alley and flashed himself there.

"It's dangerous to sit there you know," Nick said, standing over her blonde curly head.

She was so close to the street a speeding careless driver could accidently run her over.

Bright blue eyes appeared over the thick pages of the leather-bounded book. She gave him a curious look and blinked several times. Similar to the previous two, a white mask shielded her face from his powers and disappeared as soon as it came.

Placing a bookmark to mark her spot, she shut her book. "I know, but I was too into the book I was reading." She said as she stood up, hugging the book to her chest. "Delilah."

"Nick,"

"I know,"

"Excuse me?"

"I was at Sanctuary last weekend when you threatened to destroy it and murder everyone."

"Oh…" He was so blinded by rage that he scared off the humans, Daimons, and whatever life form, customers out of the place. "Not one of my finer moments…Sorry if I frightened you."

Delilah nervously laughed, which followed by an awkward silence.

"I'm sorry about your girlfriend and the accident." she said sympathetically, "I wasn't being nosey or anything. You were quite vocal about it."

The book began to burn again. "Listen I have to go, but it was really nice meeting you."

"See you around." Delilah waved, pulling out a cell phone from her pocket.

As he walked away, he flipped opened the book and scanned for Waldo. Two Waldos were standing in front of a parked car, carrying boxes. Nick studied the Waldos' surroundings and saw a street sign. He realized he had to hurry there because it looked like they were about to leave.

"Need any help carrying those?"

The two women turned to look at Nick. Masks appeared over their faces and instantly vanished.

They took a step back before speaking as if wanting to be a safe distance from him.

"No thank you." said the black haired one.

"But those look really heavy -"

They exchanged a look before the other one spoke. "My mom told me never to talk to strangers - bye." They ran as fast as they could, with their boxes, and threw them in the Honda.

"Is there something I'm missing here?"

"We saw you at Sanctuary last weekend." One of them blurted out.

"Where you threatened to murder everyone." Added the other.

"That was a misunderstanding." Nick told them. He didn't want to have to get into explaining his reasons, but maybe it was what Mintha wanted. "One of guys there ran my girlfriend over with his car. She died on the table."

The women's sour mood instantly altered to sympathy. "I'm so sorry." They both said.

As Nick sighed he noticed a group of women coming out of a store across the street. Masks appeared and disappeared on their faces. He looked to his right and there were more. All with masks.

_What the hell was going on?_

He thought back to when he boasted about how he knew her better than anyone else. It seems she was calling him out on it. She's hiding among the crowd of women and he had to seek her out by personality alone.

Yee-freakin'-haw…


	10. Julie and Paige

After introducing himself to every women he found with masks on, Nick created a chart on his computer of each of them. Analyzing the information he had gathered through small talk with them. So far he narrowed it down to thirteen women. All thirteen of them had one thing in common. They each died in some freak accident for a certain amount of minutes but were revived.

There was more than one way for Mintha to reincarnate and fortunately for Nick she opted for this one. Those women died in the accidents and their souls were replaced by different ones. Mintha must have replaced one of them and continued to live that person's life.

Good. That meant he didn't have to wait eighteen years.

Sensing a presence behind him, Nick turned from his computer. In the middle of his room stood a tall beautiful woman in her early twenties with long dark brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a red top and black jeans. Next to her stood another woman. She had strands of blonde hair sticking out of her baseball cap, blue eyes and was wearing a long black coat.

Nick stared at the face of the dark haired woman, old memories resurfacing.

"What are you doing here, Callie?" Nick asked.

Callie was one of Mintha's maids while she was in Crete. All of the other maids went on with their lives but Callie decided to stay with Lacy, since she had no one. After hearing her loyal maid calling for her and confessing her desire to be with her, Mintha brought Callie to Hades. But after accidentally wondering into Tartarus and witnessing horrific scenes, Callie was hysterical. As a means to cure her, Lacy removed her from Hades and sent her to serve Demeter.

"Well, hello to you to, Ambrosius." said Callie, "Or should I call you, Nick?"

"Whatever you want."

Callie closed the distance between them in two short strides, her friend following her, and looked Nick over.

Callie sighed and shook her head. "What does she see in you?"

Nick stood up from his chair and braced himself for her criticism. Callie was a certificated bitch with a chip on her shoulder ever since Nick had first met her. He had no reason to believe that she had changed since the last time he saw her.

"From what I heard, you're a total slut. Addicted to sex-"

"What are you talking about?"

Callie arched her brows. "Are you kidding me? Ray told me all about you and what's been happening around here."

"Lacy sent you here didn't she." stated Nick, not wanting to have to explain himself.

"Yes, I'm supposed to clear up your mess, anything she might've missed."

"And your friend?" he nodded to the woman behind her.

"This is Sophie." Callie gestured to her friend. "She finished her service to Demeter and is going to stay among the humans from now on."

"Hi, Nick. I heard a lot about you." said Sophie.

"Most of it was exaggerated, I'm sure."

"So you didn't stick your dick into the wrong demon and got cursed by her father?" Sophie asked.

Nick blinked. He was taken aback, not so much by her words but by the way she said it. From what he'd seen, the maids were usually not so blunt and not so outspoken and use such language. Unless...

"You were a princess before serving Demeter, weren't you?" said Nick. "And you grew up with brothers."

"Yes, how did you know?"

Nick grinned. "Lucky guess."

Thousands of years ago, peasants used to leave there infant children in temples as offerings to the gods, that's how gods and goddess received most of their servants. On certain occasions, kings and queens gave their children as offerings. Nick could tell the difference between a peasant and a princess. Peasants were usually silent and obedient, while princess were obedient they were also out-spoken, and those who grew up with brothers were more likely to pick up colorful words from them.

"So tell me how far you've gotten with Lacy's game." Callie asked Nick.

"She told you about it?"

"What are your motivations?" asked Callie, ignoring his question. "Why are you playing along with her? What do you wish to gain by doing this?"

Nick sighed. Figures she would want an explanation. "I'm in love with her. I want to please her. I want her to forgive me. Next set."

"How do you know that you love her? You haven't seen her in years. You only just reunited with her recently and for a short amount of time."

"I love her because she is one of the few people I can count on to have my back forever. I know that whatever I do, no matter how fucked up I get she will always forgive me and do what she can to help me see what I have done wrong, get me out of a jam, even if it meant putting herself at risk. I feel like shit for being an ass towards her. Compared to all the girls I've dated, I know that she's the one who sincerely loves me and wants the best for me." This was how he felt about Mintha and he regretted not being able to tell it to her when she had asked him that same question.

"Sounds like she's more of a mom to you than a lover." Sophie remarked. "How sad for Lacy...Are you really in love with her or are you using her as a means to replace your mother? "

"No!" Nick shouted, offended. "I love her!"

"Oh, I see..." Callie said, "You've been through a lot, haven't you, Nick. Can it be that your brain is forcing your heart to believe that you're in love with Lacy in order to substitute the loss of your mother? Ray told me about how crazy you were after she died - all your life, you always had your mother to love and take care of you. With her gone you feel empty and it's natural to want to find something to fill that empty void. Before you participate in this game of hers, you should evaluate your feelings for her. I care about you, Nick, and I don't want to see you hurt because of a suddenly impulse of emotions."

Callie was trying to help him, in her own weird way, but her words really stabbed him deeply in his chest. He was bleeding profusely from the wounds she had inflicted and he was a bit turned on. Lack of sex was really getting to him if just the sound of her voice was doing this to him.

"I love her." he told them and he meant it. "Not matter how long it's been she will always be the same girl I fell in love with. I'm not having any delusions about my feelings for her. I'm not using her to replace my mother. The feelings I have for her are real. When she came back into my life she filled the void to the point that it's overflowing. I don't need to evaluate my feelings. I know that I love her. And since when did you get all..." Nick waved his hand at her.

"I've been reading a lot of physiological books." Callie said with a shrug. "So with these decoys of her, have you managed to make any progress?"

"Yeah, I introduced myself to all of them and gathered their information. I created a chart with each of their pictures and eliminated those I know aren't her. I'm down to thirteen." Nick told her as he sat down and turned to his computer.

Callie and Sophie moved behind him and stared at the screen.

"I'm not going to take her height a hair color into consideration because she could have easily changed those things."

"Impressive." Sophie muttered.

"Tell me who your top five are?" Callie asked.

"Julie, Paige, Delilah, Dai, Sage. I haven't decided who to ask out, yet. She can be anyone of them."

"What does your instinct tell you?"

"Any one of them could be her in disguise, but I'm leaning towards Julie. There was something about her that's very familiar."

"Then, why don't you ask Julie out to lunch."

"Good idea."

While Nick was scrolling the chart in his computer, showing the women his data, a sudden thought came to him. He glanced at Callie, who was on his left, then Sophie, who stood on his right. Mintha could be either one of them, coming to him to test him.

If so, then should he mention to them that he knew all along that Mintha was impersonating Lacy after she was murdered. Mintha was the one he loved. With Lacy, he loved her like a mother. He knew the difference between the two.

Eleven thousand years ago, Hades told him that Persephone lost her mind in hearing of Lacy's death. Mintha pretended to be Lacy to cure her and he was to never tell a soul, and played along no matter what. It wasn't until later did he learned that Mintha was not Lacy's daughter, but was her half sister. When Mintha was kidnapped by a Sumerian god, Hades admitted that he had an affair with a demon resulting in Mintha. Mintha often called Lacy her mother because it was part of a game they liked to play.

%

When he reached the floral shop, Nick invited Julie and Paige to lunch.

"I was planning to come here one of these days." Paige commented as she stopped across the street of the building to admire it. They'd been so busy putting up the shop that they barely had time to relax and enjoy New Orleans' attractions.

Almost a city block in size, Sanctuary was not only huge, but legendary as well. Everyone in New Orleans knew about the place that was opened from eight A.M. to three in the morning. It was said to have some of the best food in the world and some of the meanest patrons.

The three-story redbrick building had a huge sign that hung over saloon-style doors. It was black with a motorcycle parked on a hill and silhouetted by a full moon. The word SANCTUARY was white with a hazy purple outline. And on the lower right-hand side of the sign, in a much smaller font was the slogan, HOME OF THE HOWLERS.

"Our grandma talked none-stop about this place." Julie whispered to Nick, making sure Paige didn't hear her.

Nick gave Paige a sympathetic look. Julie told him that while Paige was driving her to school, back when they were living in Minnesota, a drunk driver suddenly began chasing them. Paige did her best to avoid him, and the semi-truck that was making a wide turn. Before they knew it their car had drifted off the road and crashed into a group of trees. They were announced dead upon arrival. The news caused their grandmother to have a heart attack and die.

Julie and Paige awoken from their death sleep while they were being wheeled down to the morgue. It was declared a miracle by the doctor, but a curse by the sisters. Their grandmother was the person who raised them after their mother and father died in a plane crash and now she was gone.

They took their inheritance and moved to New Orleans to be closer to their bothers, who lived in Atlanta. They chose to live in New Orleans, instead of Atlanta, because their grandma loved it so much.

Dev Peltier gritted his teeth as Nick approached him. Wordlessly the bear stepped to the side and allowed him and his guest entry.

As they walked in, Nick was aware of all of the Were-Hunters staring at him. He would not have brought Julie and Paige here, since he was banned from Sanctuary after threatening them, but Pallas told him that Mintha specifically wanted him to have his dates here. Somehow Mintha got his ban nullified and the Were-Hunters accepted it. Grudgingly it seems.

"It looks exactly like she described it." Paige and Julie said as they took in the décor of the mismatch tables, black painted stage, straws on the floor, and the abundance of handsome men.

"She_ really _wasn't kidding." Paige whispered to Julie and they both giggled.

Pallas walked up to them and greeted them with a bubbly, "Hello, welcome to Sanctuary. My name is Sage," – she smiled brightly as she stuck out her chest and pointed to her name tag with her alias on it– "I'll be your waitress. Come, I'll show you to your table." she gestured for them to follow her. As she turned around Nick saw the name Remi was printed on the back of her T-shirt.

As they walked to their seats, Nick gave Pallas a once over. The jeans she wore show off her long legs. She was Mintha's best friend. Nick took into consideration that there was a good chance that Mintha was pretending to be her and monitoring his dates. Mintha was crafty ever since they were kids, he wouldn't put it pass her to do something like that.

"What can I get for you?" Pallas asked after she handed them menus.

"Gumbo," Paige and Julie cheered, without looking at the menus.

"And water," said Paige.

"Me too," said Julie.

Pallas turned to Nick. "And you?"

"Bud Light."

"Good choices," she winked at Nick and glanced at Paige and Julie.

Nick didn't miss the double meaning in her tone and watched as she left to place their orders.

"Is that all you want?" Julie asked Nick.

"Yeah,"

Julie narrowed her eyes at him. "It's barely afternoon and you're drinking already? That's really bad for your health you know and how come you didn't order any lunch? Have you eaten, yet?"

"Julie," Paige stressed her sister's name, "Nick can drink whatever he wants to." she turned to Nick, "If you want to damage your liver it's your right. You go ahead."

Julie scowled at Paige. "How can you say that? Nick is our friend. How can you encourage him to an early grave?"

"He's a grown man and we're not his mom. We can't force him to change his life style."

"But he should if he wants to live longer. Nick, don't you want to live longer?"

"Of course he wants to live longer." Paige answered for him.

"Then you shouldn't drink so early, Nick."

Both women stared at him expectantly, ganging up on him.

He caved. "All right, I'll order some gumbo when Sage gets back."

"That's great." said Paige.

"Not for your liver, but at least your stomach will be happy." Julie added.

"So, are you planning on opening your own clinic?" he asked Julie, who was studying to become a veterinarian. He needed a change of subjects before they force him to give up beer entirely. That was never going to happen, but he wouldn't put it pass these two to try.

"Not yet, but it is my dream." Julie told him, "After I graduate, I plan on applying for an internship for about a year and a half, gain hands on experience in the front desk, handling paperwork. Apply to be a doctor's assistance for three years after that. Gain some hands on experience in the room handling small animals, first, then work my way to bigger animals. That will probably take about six months or more, depending on the species."

"Breathe Julie, breathe," Paige teased her as she beamed with pride.

"Looks like you have everything mapped out." Nick said, proud of her as well.

Julie nodded. "I estimated the timeline using information I gathered online and interviews with doctors and nurses. The working years would probably be a little different from what I have in mind, but it's okay. Learning takes time and I'm willing to wait until I'm ready."

"Any room left for your social life?"

"For friends yes. Boyfriends no." Paige answered for her sister, giving Nick a pointed look. "She doesn't need distractions."

Nick held his hands up. "Hey, I won't get in her way."

He admired both for being independent and knowing what they wanted to do with their life. Paige had her own business and Julie had dreams of owning her own clinic and she was doing her best to achieve it. It made him reflect on his life and how much he screwed it over. How much it disappointed his mom. She didn't say it but Nick could tell she was disappointed that he didn't continue his studies and become a lawyer. He wanted so badly to see her and apologize again. Buy her some flowers and talk about random stuff with her, but he couldn't. Not until Mintha gave him permission to visit Hades.

"You okay, Boo?"

"Mom?" Nick looked up and found Julie touching his arm.

"I'm sorry I don't know where that came from." Julie squeezed his arm. "That look on your face…it just." She sighed, not quite sure how to explain herself. "You okay?"

Nick didn't speak as he stared at Julie in shock, then he shook his head to clear it.

_No, it couldn't be, _he thought.

"Are you sick?" asked Julie, taking out a container with different colored pills separated but small sections, in it from her purse. Then, she thought better of it and put it back in her purse.

"That's right, Julie, you can't give him any of that. His liver is probably crying for mercy as it is."

Nick looked at Julie and felt an electric jolt run up and down his spine. He stood up, "I'm going to see why the food's taking so long."

"Pallas," Nick hissed as he found her leaning against the wall near the kitchen, playing with her ipod.

Figures she wasn't doing her job. She wasn't a real waitress. She was only waiting his table because Mintha wanted her to.

Pallas looked up from her ipod as he approached her. "Yes?"

"Who is Julie?" he demanded, then corrected himself, "Who was she before?"

Taking off her headphones, she stuck her perfect little nose up. "Can't you tell? It's kind of obvious." she shrugged, "If you can't tell who she was, then how are you going to find Mintha? Sure you don't want to give up now? Don't worry, she'll understand. Not like it's the first time you've disappointed her."

"I'm not giving up." Nick told her. "I just want to know who Julie was?"

"If you can't tell -"

"Is she my mom?" Nick said before she could start another rant.

Pallas clapped her hands and hopped with excitement. "You figured it out! I knew you could do it!" she stopped in seeing the angst look on Nick's face. "Aren't you happy? Mintha did this for you, you know. She knew how bad you felt about ruining your mom's life with being born and all."

Nick dragged his hand through his hair and looked to where Julie - where his mom - was sitting. "I can't believe this." A smile slowly spread across his face as the mask on Julie disappeared and he realized who he was seeing. His mom. "She's so beautiful." And so together.

Pallas gently placed her hand on Nick's shoulder. "You're not going to cry are you?"

Nick's head snapped to Pallas' direction. "No." Although he really was fighting back tears.

Pallas gave Nick a moment to himself and went to get their food. "Ready to face her?" she asked him, trays in hand.

Nick fisted his hands to rub his eyes. "Yeah."

"Sorry it took so long. It gets so busy with everyone coming here for their lunch break." Pallas gave Paige and Julie their drinks, bowls of gumbo for each of them. "Call me if you need anything else." She told them before she left.

Resisting the urge to pull Julie into a hug, Nick shoved the gumbo in his mouth. As he ate he stared at Julie, admiring her smile as she ate her gumbo, laughing with Paige. He should've known it was his mom the moment she started at him about his drinking and health.

She was so peaceful and carefree. With family who loved and support her. With her life in order. The only thing she had to worry about was studying for her next class.

This was how she should have been living.

If only…if only he hadn't been born. If only he hadn't forced his way into her life.

Guilt cut through him. He was the reason his mom had dropped out of school at fifteen. As soon as her parents had learned she was pregnant, they'd offered her one choice.

Give up the baby or give up her nice home in Kenner, her education, and her family.

But she'd chosen him and the hard life she had lived.

It was something Nick never let himself forget.

Nick turned to Paige and stared at her intently. If Julie was his mom, then who was Paige? He knew her. She was familiar. Very familiar. He just couldn't quite put his finger on it…

%

Kyle Peltier grinned as he parked his car in small driveway behind Sanctuary. He hadn't been home in months and missed everyone, even Dev. He couldn't wait to see the look on everyone's face when he showed them his surprise. They'll be as shocked as he was.

"I don't know about this…" Bobby murmured. "I've never been on a blind date before and…"

"Relax, Bobby," Kyle told his new friend as he looked him over, making sure he looked good for his date. Not knowing what to expect, Kyle opted for a neutral look, black leather jacket over a white shirt and jeans. Maybe he should have gone with another look? "You'll love her. She's perfect for you. Come on, she's probably already here."

Kyle grabbed Bobby's arm and dragged him inside. He didn't mean to be so rough with him but he was too excited. He couldn't wait to tell his family the good news.

"Got yourself a boyfriend, did you?" Dev teased Kyle as he stood in front of his brother, Bobby shyly hiding behind him. "I always knew you had odd taste, mon frere."

"Shut up Dev." Kyle said, pulling out Bobby from behind him to stand next to him.

"What's this? Holding hands already?"

Kyle ignored Dev completely and asked, "You going on break soon?"

"Yeah,"

Kyle bit his tongue, trying not to give anything away, as he schooled his features. "Good, call everyone out to the bar. I want them to meet someone."

Dev glanced at Bobby. "Don't tell me you're showing off your new boyfriend?"

Kyle ginned. "Maybe."

Dev arched his brow and tapped his head set. "Everyone heard that?"

A chaos of yeses was heard through the head set. Being Were-Hunters, they didn't need the head set. They wore them so the humans wouldn't get suspicious when they contact each other telepathically.

Pallas grinned widely as she met with Kyle and Bobby at the door. "You figured it out?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Kyle smiled in return. He'd kiss her if she wasn't Remi's girlfriend. His older brother would tear him apart if he touched his girl. "Where is she?" he eagerly asked.

"She's with Nick."

Kyle followed her gaze to where Nick sat with two brunettes. Both women were wearing the exact same outfit, a white oxford, button up top and black pants. They were similar in features, except one seemed taller than the other.

Bobby excused himself to the bathroom as Kyle looked from one girl to the other.

"Which one is she?"

"You're going to have to figure it out yourself. But before that, let's go say hi to your family. They really missed you."

As Pallas and Kyle went to the bar were his brothers, sister, and her mate had gathered to wait for him. The rest were still upstairs, waiting for him.

"Where'd she sent you?" Aimee asked, while hugging him.

Months ago he had received a text message from Lacy of an address and nothing more. He packed his bags and left, but not before saying a tear filled goodbye to his family.

"The address was to a rehab clinic. The staff there already knew I was coming and had everything set up for me."

"What were you suppose to do there?" asked Quinn. He dated Lacy once upon a time, and knew she wouldn't have abused his brother. Or send him somewhere dangerous, even if he did run her over.

"Lacy wanted me to help his guy, Bobby, with his physical therapy. He recently woke up from a coma after a car he was working on fell on him."

"Then, you fell madly in love and brought him to meet the family." Dev finished for him.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "While I was taking care of Bobby I realized that he reminds me of someone-"

"YOU BASTARD!"

The Peltiers snapped their heads to where the commotion was and saw the human woman, Nick had brought with him, beating an unknown human up. Meanwhile, the other girl was hiding behind Nick.

Aimee was about to break the fight but Pallas stopped her. "I don't think you should do that."

"Why?"

"Those girls are new in town." Pallas told them, calmly as if they weren't watching a vicious beating. She took Remi's arm and cozied up to him. "They just opened a flower shop a few blocks from here. Nick's showing them around. That guy she's stomping on is her ex-boyfriend. She dumped him after finding out he's a gold-digger. Crazy in love with her, he got drunk and chased after her in his car. He made her car drifted off the road and crashed into a group of trees. She has a lot of anger in her. As you can clearly see. We should be kind and let her beat him to her heart's content."

None of them argued with that. If that human was a scumbag, then he deserved the beating he was getting. It was well after noon and the majority of their customers already returned to work. Barely any humans were there and were either in too much shock or too drunk to do anything. As for the other small number of creatures, they wouldn't pass up the chance for a free show.

"Should we jump in and give her a hand?" Chief commented as the human woman punched the male human, repeatedly and round kicked him.

"Looks like she can handle herself."

"She fights like a pro."

"Man, I wouldn't mind getting my ass kicked by her."

"As long as she's doing it naked."

"Betcha she can stretch her legs behind her head."

Kyle cringed, wondering which of his brothers were saying those things and he prayed to Zeus that the human woman wasn't who he thought she was. "Um…Pallas?" he said nervously.

%

Before Pallas could say anything the human woman broke off into a round of French. Since French was the Peltier's native language, they understood what she was saying. As she was cursing up a storm something inside the Peltiers' mind suddenly clicked.

"Maman!" they all said at once.

"Interesting..." Pallas murmured to herself. "Of all the things you guys remember about her…" she clamped her mouth shut before she offended any of them.

One by one the Peltiers' and Fang turned their heads and stared at Pallas. With her being a gossip, there was a good chance that she knew the answers to their questions.

"Wha-What are you talking about?" Aimee demanded and glanced at the human, then stared at Pallas.

Fang pulled her close, seeing as she was about to collapse.

Aimee was the one at fault for them losing their license by angering Savitar. War had broken out between them and the Arcadian were-wolves and her mother die protecting Fang. Since the night of Nicolette Peltier death, her cubs have sought to carry on without her support and guidance. No longer an official haven recognized by the Omegrion council, Sanctuary now stands outside the laws that had once shielded them and her patrons.

"Well," Pallas began, squeezing Remi's hand, "you guys have been so nice to me and Min-m-my-Lacy. We decided to give you guys a gift."

"Why would she do this?" Remi asked her.

"Yeah? Why would she do this after what -" Fang glanced at Aimee and Kyle and back at Pallas, "-after what happened?"

"There's a catch isn't there?" Dev stated.

"There's always a catch…" Colt murmured.

"No, no catch." Pallas assured them. "Lacy said it was a..." she blushed, her gaze on Remi. _A wedding gift for us_. "A present for you guys for looking after Holly. She really loves Holly, you know."

Ever since they made their relationship official, Remi hadn't mentioned if he wanted to mate with her. They only agreed to be in a relationship and see how things would go. It was her first relationship and Remi's _first serious_ relationship, and Pallas didn't want to make him feel like he was obligated to mate with her since she did this for him.

She had begged Mintha to bring Remi's parents back because she wanted to do something for him and his family. They had been nothing but kind to her. When Mintha was writing down her list, she saw the opportunity and took it.

"What did the Fates have to say?" Remi asked quietly.

The room felt empty as Pallas stared at her lover. If she hadn't swore she wouldn't read his mind anymore, Pallas would've done it to know what he was thinking of her. She understood his question either way. He wanted to know if the Fates would punish his parents for becoming human under their watch or Mintha for making them. Were-Hunters were a cursed race. The Fates have control over their lives and would not have been happy to know that someone had interfered.

"They're okay with it as long as we keep it quiet." Pallas broke eye contact from Remi and addressed the rest of his family. "They're in debt to Lacy for this thing she did for them – I don't know what it is, but Lacy guaranteed their approval."

"I can't believe this…" Aimee muttered as her eyes watered.

Fang held her close and pressed her to his chest. "It's okay, baby." He looked up as a sudden thought occurred to him, "Hey, if Lo's here then that means-"

"Kyle?"

Kyle nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Bobby's voice. He went to Bobby and put his arm around his shoulder. "Bobby, meet my family."

"Hi," Bobby shyly greeted them. "Are they all right?" he asked Kyle, curious at the serious look on each of their faces.

"We're reminiscing about our parents. They're dead. Maman and Papa._ Papa. Papa."_ Kyle stressed the last word encase they hadn't caught it the first time and patted Bobby's shoulder following each syllable.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry." said Bobby.

Overwhelm with happiness, Aimee burst into tears and hid her face in Fang's chest. Fang cupped her head, whispering words of comfort and took her aside. The rest of the Peltiers stared in awe at their once proud and powerful Papa bear, who was now an awkward twenty-five year old human.

"Ohmygod!" Bobby exclaimed, pointing to where their reincarnated mother was, "Someone call the police! He's gonna die!"

Kyle pulled him aside and dragged him out the door. This was not how he planned for his parents to meet. "Your date wants a rain check. Sorry man, let's go!"

"Excuse me?"

The Were-Hunters tore their eyes form their reincarnated father and looked at Nick and the human woman.

"I'm really sorry about my sister." said the human woman, not at all shaken and suspiciously calm. "I already called an ambulance. If you guys called them, then there should be two coming and the police -"

"Don't worry, we didn't call anyone." Pallas assured her, nodding to Remi and the others.

If that was their mother, then there was no way in hell they were going to report her. Forget the police, they were going to clean up the bloody mess and act like nothing happened after they threw the male human out in the alley to rot.

The human woman smile in gratitude. "Thank you so much. You don't know what this means to us." She looked back at her sister. "We're sorry for this. I'll pay for the food - " She took out her check book and blinked when she heard a crash from behind her. She turned around and saw her sister hitting the human with a chair. "We'll pay for the chair too and all of the damages -" she closed her eyes as another crash was heard and then another. She opened her eyes and took deep breaths. "How about I just give you my signature and you guys write down the amount." She gave them the check, smiled nervously and excused herself. She went to her sister and was reasoning with her to stop and go home.

%

Nick sighed as he watched his mother take the chair from Paige. "Sorry about all this." He said to the Peltiers, "Rip that check up, I'll pay for that." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder.

"It's on the house." said Pallas, while the Were-Hunters continued to look stunned.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Pallas nodded, "and you can bring your friends over any time." She winked at him.

"Sorry about that," Paige said as she came beside him, wiping the blood from her hands with a napkin. "Ex-boyfriend drama." She waved her hand dismissively, as if that explained everything.

Nick turned to Julie, who was checking Paige's ex-boyfriend's pulse. While Paige was beating him up, Julie gave Nick details on the guy. He was the one who caused them to crash and got them killed. Paige blamed him for their grandma's death.

Nick went to Julie and took her away from the bloody lump on the floor. Although she appeared suspiciously fine with the carnage, he didn't want her anywhere near it.

Julie took him aside and spoke in a low tone.

"Sorry about Paige," she said to him, "She normally has great control over her temper, but..."

"How often does she lose her temper?" Nick asked, worried that Paige might have knocked her around in a fit of rage. He thought he had imagined it but, but saw a vision of Paige holding a gun and shooting men.

Julie caught his meaning and quickly denied it. "Paige loves me. She'll never hurt me, not intentionally."

Nick pressed his lips together to prevent himself from making a snide remark like he normally did when his mom used to say the same thing about his dad.

His father had been a convicted murderer who had died in a prison riot. It was well known by everyone that the man was a repeat felon who had spent the whole of Nick's youth in and out of jail for all sorts of unsavory crimes.

To top that off, Adarian Malachai was a demon and not just figuratively. It turned out he was living in the prison because he fed off the cruelty and evil of others. He enjoyed going back in to recharge. It was like living in an Energizer factory as far as he was concerned. He had lost his life after tampering with forces more powerful than him.

Nick had inherited his father's demon blood and powers. The demonic voice in his head was at it again. Growling and screaming to be release and slaughter all those who threatened his mother. He closed his eyes and inhaled and exhaled like Mintha had taught him and conjured up happy thoughts to push it away. He opened his eyes as he realized that he didn't have to. His mother was right here, and she was all he needed to silence the monster in him like she always did.

His eyes soften when he gazed at his mother. He pulled her into a hug. She was surprised, but seemed to have recovered as she returned his embrace.

What Julie had said was not the exact words as she used to use to defend his father, but they were close enough. Even after all the hell he put them through; his mother still loved his psychopathic, murdering father.

When news had came that he was dead, his mother broke into a fever and didn't talk to anyone for days. Nick believed that her fever was a reaction she was having to whatever love spell his father had placed on her. There was no way she truly loved him. That man was a monster.

"Paige has her moments, but she loves me enough to control her temper."

Nick tightened his arms around her. Apparently, his mom had kept her firm belief in the good in people, even after undergoing the trauma of reincarnation. He wanted to scold her for it, but deep down he knew he wouldn't have her any other way. She had a different body and a different life, but she was his same old mom.

"Thanks for understanding, Nick. It means a lot to me._You_ mean a lot to me. I don't know why but I … I care about what you think of me."

_Did she feel the bond between them?_

Nick tightened his arms around her once again and prayed she wouldn't protest. He didn't have the will to let her go yet. "I will never think badly of you. No matter what." Even when she was working as a stripper to put food on the table he loved her. Because it was just the two of them against the world. Team fabulous. It was what she used to call them. "If you ever need anything, I'm here for you."

Julie gently pulled away from him and smiled warmly. In that moment he saw his mother's face in place of Julie's and she was as lovely as ever. When she began ruffled his hair like she used to do, he lost it.

Julie quickly pulled away and took a step back. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, no –something flew in my eye."

_Pull yourself together Nick, or else your mom will think you're a freak!_

Nick managed to composed himself and suggest they go see what Paige was doing.

They came to the bar as Paige was passing out business cards. "This is my sister, Julie, by the way." She finished with a charming smile. As charming of a smile could get from a woman covered in blood, but the bears seemed to have fallen under her spell nonetheless.

"Well, look at the time," Julie said, making a show of looking at her watch. "We have to go back to the shop. We're supposed to receive a shipment soon. "

"Come by whenever you can." Paige waved as she walked away.

After Nick walked Julie and Paige back to their shop, he returned to Sanctuary to speak with Pallas.

"You choosing your mom on your first date didn't surprise me." Pallas stated, materializing in front of him in the alley behind Sanctuary.

Nick put his hands in his pockets and stared at his shoes, praying that she not get at him about how perverted it was of him to ask his mom out first. Technically, she wasn't his mom now, but still. It was a bit disturbing.

"It's so cute."

"Done yet?"

Pallas sobered. "You're probably wondering why Julie and Paige didn't bat an eyelash at the violence, huh?" She had asked his question before he could.

Nick narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Pallas, who was the picture of innocence. "Yes."

"It's because they grew up around it and see those things a lot."

Although it was common for a person to grow up with violence and be used to it. Nick didn't like to hear about how his mom, or Julie, was unaffected by blood and killing.

"Why does it bother you?" Pallas asked, "This is a good thing."

"How exactly is_ this '_a good thing'?" Nick demanded. "My mom doesn't need to know -"

"Would you rather she be ignorant of the world?" Pallas asked him. "'Cause that really helped her out last time. Do you know how she died Nick?"

Nick stiffened as he thought back to the night he found her body in the upstairs sitting room. At first, it looked like she was sitting in her chair like she'd done a million times before when he'd come home to catch her waiting for him.

He'd bought the house just for that room alone. His mother loved to read romance novels. All her life, she'd dreamed of owning a home where she could have a perfect, five-sided room to read her books in peace. The sitting room was lined with custom-made bookshelves.

Every inch of every shelf in there held a paperback that she had lovingly chosen and cherished...

Who'd of thought it would become her final resting place?

"She opened the door and invited him in, believing he was a friend of yours."

It was probably true, but he refused to believe it. "No…She was always careful."

The anger and despair had long since dissolved. Now there was only numbness whenever he thought of that night.

Pallas patted his shoulder. "You don't have to worry about it now. Julie and Paige can take care of themselves. They were assassins, but don't worry. They're retired."

Nick blinked. "What? What did you just say?"

"Julie and Paige – the other ones – were assassins and now your mom is one."

"Assassins? My mom? An assassin?" He repeated the words unable to believe it.

"There were a lot of potential candidates, but we managed to narrow it between the assassins or witches. We flipped a coin and assassin it was."

"You flipped a coin - why – what – which one of you came up with this?"

"Oh, would you prefer her as a witch?" Pallas lifted a shoulder, "Sorry but I don't think we can do anything about it now." She stepped forward and took his hand, "Don't you see, Nick. She has the skills to defend herself. No one can hurt her again."

Nick was ready to argue with her, but after turning her words over again in his head, he knew she was right.

Pallas perked up in triumphant at his look of acceptance. "Now that that's over with. Who're you planning to ask out next? I like how you made it a group thing. It'll definitely make finding Lacy a lot faster and the woman would think you're just going out to eat as friends. That way, you don't give any of them false hope."

Nick hadn't thought of that idea and realized how great it was. He had asked both Paige and Julie out to lunch as friends because he saw that the two were inseparable. Paige was over-protective of Julie. After his second visit to their shop, she told him up front that Julie wasn't interested in dating, and read him his rights, reinstating them every chance she got. She wanted it to be clear about her rules involving Julie after explaining what she had heard about his reputation as a womanizer. Not that it would be a problem now that he discovered that Julie was his mother. He was joining Paige in her campaign to aiding Julie to reaching her dream and dodge distractions along the way. He wanted her to have the good life she was denied of because of him.

"You'll find out when I bring them over." Nick told her.

Pallas pouted at his response.

"By the way, Pallas, how did Lacy get my mom's soul? She's Catholic. She shouldn't have been in Hades." The question never occurred to Nick before because he was too overwhelmed with emotions after reuniting with her again and everything had left his mind. Now that he had time to think rationally, the question suddenly popped up.

"Lacy had a soul they wanted and they had a soul she wanted."

"She exchanged the soul she had with my mother's soul." He finished for her.

Pallas nodded. "I don't know much of the details, but apparently a rouge soul accidentally went to Hades and was trapped on the shores. Those other people wanted him back and Lacy offered them the exchange."

"All right, that's it. Thanks Pallas." Nick said as he walked off.


	11. Mintha's past

Sorry for the long wait. It's been crazy. Also, this chapter isn't beta. I was just too excited and had to post it up right now. I'll have it beta soon and repost it again. The new book cover feature is cool isn't it? I uploaded a picture of how Mintha's suppose to look. She's got red hair and really sad eyes.

%

"I think we need to try a different tactic." Tory told Ash as he scanned the crowd in vain.

He had extracted his memories of one of his visits to Dragon Con and trying to locate Mintha. The task was proving difficult, since the majority of people there were wearing costumes, and Mintha was likely wearing a costume over a human vessel she was possessing.

Ash had told Tory the truth, after asking her to keep it a secret: Mintha was an archdemon, born of a demon's union with a god. She was his daughter, who was created when his blood was spilled and mixed with Simi's mother's blood. She was made to masquerade as Lacy after she had died.

To say Tory was shocked was an understatement. Of all the theories she had come up with this was not one of them. Not even close.

Ash was hiding it well, but Tory could see that the knowledge of having another daughter upset him. Especially when her existence was kept from like Katra was. Tory wanted to help him in any way she could.

"I think we should go further back. Maybe a couple more years." She suggested.

Ash nodded and focused on a few years back. He conjured the memory and let it manifest around them. He was agitated that they had not found her yet, and frustrated that Hades was using his guilt for Lacy's death against him. He had cursed her to be selfish and ignorant of others, when it was her job was to judge human souls. How that had turned out, he didn't know. But he already felt another form of guilt kicking in for the unfortunate souls she had wrongly condemned because of his curse.

"What type of relationship did you think Mintha had with Hades?" Tory suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked without looking away from the crowd.

"Well, if they had a close relationship then wouldn't Mintha have brought him here? Since she comes here religiously." Tory reasoned.

Ash nodded and closed his eyes, honing in on Hades' godly presence in his memories. "Found him."

The scene altered once again to a different crowd of people in costumes.

Hades was dressed in a Versace black suit, while Persephone was wearing an elegant red dress. There seemed to be an invisible force field around them, causing the humans to part for them as they strolled through the crowd.

"You're being ridiculous, darling." Persephone said to Hades, her arms hooked around his.

"I am not." Hades said, his face grim. "Look for yourself."

Persephone followed his gaze, Tory and Ash doing the same, and found Ash in a black leather, with his piercings and all, standing in front of a booth, reading a comic book.

Persephone gasped. Quickly taking out her cell phone she pressed a number.

Tory turned to the Ash next to her, not understanding what was happening. When she turned to his younger self, she noticed a blonde woman and a brunette woman, wearing masked costumes standing next to him, reading comic books as well. The blonde one took out her cell phone from her pocket and looked at it. She paid for the comic book she was reading and put it in her beautiful leather tote with floral appliqués done in a rainbow of colors. She looked right at Persephone and Hades and smiled, waving to them. She took her friend's arm and made her way to them.

It didn't take Tory and Ash long to realize who the blonde woman was.

"She was standing right next to you." Tory murmured.

In a flash, they were standing next to the booth where younger Ash was reading the comic book. Rewinding to the moment where Mintha and her friend came beside him.

"I never noticed her." Ash said, as his younger self placed the comic book down and picked up another one.

Rarely having time to himself, Dark-Hunters always calling him to fix their petty problems, Ash always turned off his cell phone and tuned everything out. He couldn't believe that all this time he was tuning out the presence of his own daughter.

Mintha picked up the comic book he had put down and began to read it.

"You two like the same ones." Tory said thoughtfully.

Ash smiled at the thought and flashed them back to the moment where Mintha and her friend met up with Hades and Persephone. Fortunately for him, Hades didn't bother to erase himself from the memories of the humans who saw him. To the humans, he and Persephone would just be another couple attending the convention and Ash was using that to his advantage. He focused on the memories of the humans who saw the group to continue following them.

"I'm so happy you guys came." said Mintha. She was walking between her parents, holding both their hands, while her friend trailed behind them. "Are you hungry? There's a nice little restaurant with a great view."

"Okay, sweetie." Persephone answered for herself and Hades.

"Simi likes to come here too." Ash remarked as he and Tory followed them.

Dragon Con was the only place he could take Simi, where she wouldn't stand out. In fact she looked rather normal there.

"Let's sit by the window." Mintha said, pointing to a table.

Hades suddenly halted and said, "Let's sit over there." He pointed a dark area in a far corner. "The sun is far too bright today."

Mintha nodded and lead the way.

Ash and Tory stood in the middle of the restaurant watching as the younger Ash stared out the window from his table next to it, while Simi, sitting across from him, drowned her plate with barbeque sauce. They turned their gaze to Mintha and noticed that Hades had seated her directly so her back was toward Ash.

"She should've sensed my presence…" Ash pondered out loud.

"What do you mean?" Tory asked.

"She should've sensed my presence, my godhood." Ash told her.

"Ash?" Tory said gently as his face darkened with emotions.

Ash didn't answer her. Focusing on Mintha's friend's memory, he followed Mintha and her friend as they went to the woman's bathroom, Tory followed close behind him.

Mintha stood in front of the mirror. She had taken off her mask and was rubbing her watery eyes.

"I can't believe that fly flew right at my eye, Ray." Mintha complained, her eye turning red from all her rubbing.

She turned on the facet and splashed cold water on her face.

"Here, hold still." said Ray, helping her wipe her face with a paper towel.

"If only the sun hadn't blinded me. I would have seen it coming."

If Mintha was blinded by the sun, it meant that at one point, she had turned around and was about to see Ash.

"He would rather have her blinded then see me." Ash accused, his voice tight with rage.

"Hades." stated Tory.

"Hades." Ash hissed before he left the bathroom to Hades' table and rewinded the memory to the moment after Mintha and Ray left.

With Mintha gone, Hades openly glared at Ash from across the room. Ash recalled feeling a prickly sensation in the back of his neck at the time, but brushed it off as Artemis bugging him.

Why didn't he pay more attention to his surroundings? If he'd turned his head just a little he would have seen them.

"Butterbean," coaxed Persephone, lacing her fingers with his, "please stop glaring at him and relax."

"How can I relax, when _he's_ sitting right there?"

"Ignore him, Sweetie pie." Persephone sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "We came here to relax and have fun with Lacy. You're so tense. If you keep this up, she'll think you're not enjoying yourself. You'll hurt her feelings."

Hades stopped glaring at Ash and he apologized for his sour mood.

Ash saw love and affection in Hades' and Persephone's eyes as Mintha and Ray returned and took their seats. Their love for Mintha was sincere. They adored her.

Ash's gaze turned to Ray, or Ariadne, Mintha's companion and keeper. In that instant, he saw everything about her. Beginning with the moment she was born.

Taking Tory's hand, Ash transferred the into Ray's past.

%

Ash and Tory stood on the side, watching an elderly king warped in heavy furs and encased in jewels carrying a crying infant in his arms. They followed him as he slowly navigated through a dimly lighted hallway, his back arching high, every now and then he would cover his mouth to cough. He entered a room where over a dozen beautiful woman dressed in assortment of colors sat on large thick rugs, surrounding a settee. On the settee sat the most beautiful of them all, a twentyish old looking woman with long curly black hair, and deathly pale skin.

"Mintha." Ash murmured, staring at the woman on the settee.

Mintha's closed eyes slowly opened as the king approached her.

Tory gasped when she saw her light blue eyes. "She's blind."

Ash nodded.

"My goddess." the king said, bowing before her and holding the infant out. "I present to you my daughter."

Mintha stood from her settee. Stepping down from the steps, she received the child. "How fortunate you are to bore a such a lovely child. She will break many hearts."

The king stood when she motioned him to her and viciously coughed.

Mintha's gaze turned from the infant to the king.

"Can she see him?" Tory asked Ash.

"No, but she can sense his essence."

"You are ill." Mintha stated.

"Common illness partnered with age." he said, openly staring at her soft pink lips.

Ash fist clenched, the king's desire for her was obvious and he displayed it for all to see.

"Ash?"

"He's having sexual thoughts involving her. He has prepositioned her before." Ash said through gritted teeth.

Tory wrapped her arms around him from behind. "Ew...Can she see his thoughts?"

"No. Her powers, they're...crippled." he whispered. "Someone...someone hurt her."

"Who?"

"I don't know, but I'll kill them when I find out."

"It would be a shame for this little one to grow up without her father beside her." As these words left Mintha's lips her maids stared at the king in astonishment as his thin gray hair grow long thick and black.

The king gasped as he brought his hands up and stared at them. His wrinkled skin began to tighten, liver spots vanished. He yelped as his back straightened, the arch gone. Panting he cupped his face to feel the smooth skin. Eye darting to Mintha, he fell onto his knees and praised her. "Bless you goddess for your gift."

All the maids in the room craned their necks to see the once old and wrinkled king, now a handsome young man.

Mintha rock the infant in her arms until she fell asleep. "Ariadne, what do you think of the name I've given her." she asked the king.

"A lovely name for a lovely child." he agreed.

"Ariadne," said Tory, "Is she _the _Ariadne, the princess of Crete. The Ariadne that help inspired the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur? Then, that man – he was Minos wasn't he? The King? Not the one with the golden touch – 'cause there's three kings name Minos and they have different myths."

Tory gasped in excitement after Ash nodded. With his powers, he flashed forward to when Ariadne was sixteen. When she met Mintha once again...

Ariadne was a princess bored with her life. Instead of a blooming flower waiting to be picked, and displayed on a vase, Ariadne felt more like a bucket of water waiting to be splashed into a small pound to mingle with the still waters and flow with the wind in little circles.

Ariadne was lonely and yearned for a companion who would understand her. Those who claimed they did were lying to win her favors. That was why she visited Phaedra, who she thought was far lonelier than her, because she was isolated much worse and befriended her. But alas Phaedra did not understand her. Being locked away for so long Phaedra had adapted to her solitude, therefore did not yearn for a companion as desperately as Ariadne did.

Ash and Tory watched as Mintha, or Phaedra the name she was known as during that time, turned from a large pot of earth to greet Ariadne. Phaedra's knitted brows showed that immediately sensed her sister's was dismayed.

"What troubles you sister?"

Ariadne sighed deeply as she strolled to Phaedra. Though Phaedra was her sister, she and Ariadne barely resemble one another physically. Ariadne had light brown hair and green eyes, whereas Phaedra had light blue eyes and curly black hair.

"Nothing but my beating heart," Ariadne replied.

Phaedra brushed the potted earth lightly with her fingertips and instantly a rose emerged from it. The pedals were made of sparkling rubies, with stem, and leaves of emeralds. She plucked the rose and offered it to Ariadne to lighten her sour mood.

Ariadne smiled, accepting the offering. "You're so talented." She stated, admiring the rose. "Tis a shame you're deformed."

Ash glared at Ariadne when she said this. "She's not deformed." he stated, although he knew she couldn't hear him.

"No man will have me either way. I am hideous." Phaedra said sadly.

Ash turned to Mintha, features softening. "You're not hideous. Any man would be lucky to have you."

Tory pressed her lips together. Ash was beginning to act like one of those people who yelled at the movie screen. She didn't say it out loud, because although he was a viewer this was not a movie. This was his daughter's life.

Ariadne studied Phaedra. She would have been beautiful, except for the addition of white horns on her head. Phaedra was not born with them. Ariadne had learned that the horns appeared after Phaedra was resurrected from the dead after she died in her sleep when she was a year old.

Everyone thought it was by the mercy of a god or goddess, because they pitted her for dying so young. Days later, Phaedra sprouted little white horns on her head, terrifying everyone who saw them. King Minos, Ariadne and Phaedra's father, feared the child and asked an Oracle to advise him on what he should do with her.

They revealed to him that his daughter was no longer with him, but the soul residing in her body was that of a god. The Oracle said that if he kept her safe and nurtured her, he would be rewarded with riches beyond his dreams and great victories in battles. But they also warned him that if she were to ever be harmed, he and his people would suffer grave consequences.

Minos was pleased that he not only had the favor of a god, but an actual god was living in his palace to ensure him riches and victories. But he was ever cautious. Having no desire to let anyone, even his allies, learn of his guest and possibly steal her from him; Minos devised a scheme to ward off thieves by claiming he was raising a flesh eating creature within his palace. Thus the legend of the snow-white, Cretan Bull was created to explain why servants saw his child baring white horns. And the term Minotaur was the name Minos' invented for the illusory creature, using his own name as its prefix.

Mino commission Daedalus to construct a massive labyrinth for Phaedra, spreading false tales of his Minotaur trapped inside it. A luxurious personal chamber was created in the center of the labyrinth, where Phaedra resided with the Athenians' maidens as her handmaids.

Since Ariadne could remember she was strictly told to never go near the labyrinth. It was a rule she dutifully obeyed until one day her curiously led her to the entrance of the labyrinth. She snuck into the labyrinth with a desire to see the gruesome monster her father was raising but she was lost within its walls. She would have died there if Phaedra hadn't happened upon her.

Minos was angry that Ariadne disobeyed him, but forgave her when Phaedra requested it, since she was just a curious child. The truth was revealed to Ariadne with a promised that she would never tell a living soul about Phaedra living in the labyrinth.

"You would be as beautiful as me if only you didn't have those." Ariadne arrogantly stated.

Ash snorted. Ariadne wasn't even half as beautiful as Mintha.

"I could only dream of it." Phaedra said.

"You're a god aren't you? Why can't you remove them?"

Phaedra's eyes looked off into the distance. "I cannot."

Ariadne turned away and excused herself.

"Selfish..." Ash murmured.

Rather than comfort Phaedra in her depressed state, Ariadne chose to leave. When Phaedra went into a melancholy mood, it affects everyone around her, making them feel like they were drowning in a waterless river.

Ariadne wandered about the castle without a true destination and surprised herself after realizing she had entered the war room by accident. Out of boredom, she went to the balcony overlooking the sea. Spotting a ship nearing the docks, she angled her head the see the new arrivals.

After the Athenians lost the war to them, they were required to send seven of the most courageous youths and the seven most beautiful maidens at seven year intervals. Minos stated that the reason behind his request was for the Athenians to be devoured by the Minotaur so he would not have to sacrifice his people to the creature. In truth, Minos wanted the Athenian men to be used in his army camps, while the maidens served Phaedra in the labyrinth.

Ariadne watched as the prisoners marched on to land in rows of two. Although all of the men and women were beautiful, only one had caught her eye. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She had prayed to the Fates to take pity on her and send her someone, anyone to free her from this boring life. And it seems the gods have finally answered.

The next day Ariadne approached the youth in secret and learned his name. Theseus. And she had learned of his quest.

Ariadne could not believe her good fortune. Theseus was there, answering her heart's call. Love had showed up, and she went to seize it. He may not be what her heart aspired, for he admitted he was not there seeking love but to slay the Minotaur. And to her distaste, he told her tales of the journey he had taken to prove himself as a hero.

He once tied a man to a pair of pine trees, bent them to the ground and then released the trees, tearing the man apart. Then he confessed to pushing man off a cliff where he was eaten by a sea monster. He beat a man in a wrestling match and then killed him and described to her how he cut off a man's feet in order for him to fit into a bed.

When Ariadne chastises him for his brutality, Theseus told her all the men he slayed were merciless bandits. He was merely seeking justice for their victims by using the same methods they practiced. Though she was revolted by his ruthlessness, it did not matter to Ariadne. She truly believed he was sent to her by the gods and desired to possess his grim heart.

Blinded by her emotions, Ariadne told him the truth. There was a labyrinth in Knossos, near the palace, but there is no Minotaur for him to slay. The creature residing in the labyrinth was her disfigured older sister. Their father locked her away because he was too ashamed to let others know he had a child with such a gruesome form.

Theseus was dejected at the knowledge, though now he understood why he was sent to Crete's army training camp instead of the labyrinth. Be that as it may, he was curious of the woman in the labyrinth and coaxed Ariadne to show him. Ariadne was reluctant to do so. She thought that if he saw Phaedra, he might think ill of her for having such an ugly sister. But eventually she gave into his pleas, thinking it would win her his favor.

When Theseus met Phaedra, he tried to be polite as possible as he could. But he was obviously angling his head to see her horns hidden under her hood.

"I'm sorry if my appearance displeases you." Phaedra pulled her hood further over her head.

"Were you born with them?" Theseus blurted out.

"No," she simply replied.

"They sprouted after she died." Ariadne said without a thought of the vow of silence she had made before.

"She'll be punish by the Fates for not keeping her promise of secrecy." commented Ash.

Tory laughed, taking Ash's arm. "Remember, Ash, she's a teenage girl. They always turn to mush when they met the man of their dreams."

Theseus turned to Phaedra. "You died?"

"I was merely sleeping."

"Oh…" Theseus said, awkwardly glancing about the room. Having nothing to else to say that would not offend her, he began retelling tales of his bravery.

Ariadne immediately tuned him out and began planning her wedding in her head.

"Do you think I was too cruel? Inhuman?" Theseus inquired, recalling the distasteful look on Ariadne face when he told her of his deeds.

"Did any of them show signs of remorse or compassion for the deeds they've committed?"

"None what-so-ever. They were still cursing the day I was born, promising to murder my family the first chance they got."

"You were lenient." stated Phaedra. "What those men did were wrong. If they did not realize the sins they have committed were wrong, then they deserved their punishment."

Theseus fully agreed with what she had said. For the first time, he fully gazed at Phaedra's face and was not distracted by her horns. She was lovely and had kind eyes, though there was a hint of sorrow he wished to brush away. Just as he had brushed aside the lose strand of hair hindering him from fully enjoying the warmth emanating from her smile.

He had affection for this woman. Unlike Ariadne, she was excited by his tales of heroic deeds and understood why he had punished the bandits the way he did. Yet, she revealed she was fair, if the bandits showed signs of compassion for their victims.

"He's in love with Mintha." said Tory, looking at them. She was surprised by what she saw in Theseus' eyes. There was a hint of affection in there when he looked at Phaedra, love that he had withheld from Ariadne. "But what about Ariadne?"

"She knows, but she was in denial. Look," said Ash.

Tory looked at Ariadne and saw her glancing from Theseus to Phaedra, then back.

"She believed he was hers and what he felt for Phaedra was a mere infatuation, because she was an exotic being, which would pass." said Tory.

%

"Come away with me." Theseus whispered to Ariadne as they walked along the shore line.

Ariadne gasped. "Yes, yes I will."

Gods be Praise! He had chosen her. He loved her. He was going to spirit her away from this lonely existence. But the next thing he said nearly stopped her heart.

"I think we should bring Phaedra with us."

Ariadne stared at him with widen eyes. "W-what?" she stuttered.

"I want to bring Phaedra with us for the prosperity of my kingdom."

"But -"

"Ariadne, you've seen how great your father's kingdom is. I want that for ours as well, don't you?"

Excited when he said _our kingdom, _Ariadne quickly submitted to what he had asked. She skipped off to the labyrinth, a plan forming in her mind.

"No," Phaedra replied, when Ariadne ordered her to leave the labyrinth.

Ariadne stomped her foot in frustration and began to sob. "Why do you hate me? Just because I'm much more beautiful than you!" she answered for her. "How selfish of you to deny me my wonderful future!"

"So dramatic..." mumbled Tory.

"She's not good for her." said Ash.

"Ariadne," Phaedra said softly, yet it was so commanding that it silenced her completely. "If we escape with Theseus we will both met with grave misfortune."

"How would you know? Do you see the future?" Ariadne snickered.

"I cannot see, but I feel it in my bones. It is the same feeling I had once before." Phaedra said with such coldness that it chilled Ariadne's spine.

Ariadne glanced at Phaedra's haunting eyes and shivered. It was evident that Phaedra had endured grave tragedy. Her face had hardened and eyes were emotionless. Ariadne looked away to stop the dark current from enveloping her, but this time she found that she could not avoid it. Rubbing her shaking arms, she apologized to Phaedra before she excused herself, quickly leaving.

Freezing Ariadne at the door, and also freezing her memory, Ash reached out his hand to Mintha, wishing to wipe away the sadness. "I'm sorry."

"Ash, I think we should leave." suggested Tory, who was having a bad feeling about what was about to happen next.

"No, I want to see." Ash unfreezed the memory and allowed it to continue.

"She has chosen not to accompany us." Ariadne told Theseus.

"But she must!" He insisted.

"I'm sorry, dear love, but she will not leave the labyrinth." Ariadne hugged herself. She could still sense the torment energy from Phaedra and it frightened her. "Please, let us go now." She muttered, lost in her own world.

"I will not leave this land without her." Theseus silently vowed.

"He's digging both their graves." said Ash.

%

"How did you do it?" Ariadne asked Theseus, shocked that he actually convinced Phaedra to aboard the ship with them.

"I let slip that you were ill."

"What?" Ariadne sat in the oriented chair in her private chamber in the ship. "She believed you?"

"Yes," Theseus said as he took her hand. "She's quite anxious to see you."

"But…but I'm not ill." Ariadne was not upset at the prospect of lying to her sister. But she was more upset that Phaedra had agreed to come along. She wanted Theseus to herself and now…she had to share him.

"She doesn't know that. We'll tell her after we reach shore. Come," he said, pulling her wrist, "we are almost there."

"B-but Theseus -"

"Ariadne, please do not fight me with this. Since there was no Minotaur to slay I must bring her with us in place of the Minotaur's head. If I don't, great shame shall fall upon my name for I had given my father my word."

Ariadne pouted as they exited the ship that afternoon and walked on to the shore. The hot sun stinging her skin. He offered her his hand and she took it willingly. She was in denial still, but deep down she knew. Theseus desired Phaedra for more than her powers and the fame she would bring him.

Theseus walked with a swift pace as he guided her through the camp. She tripped multiple times and they had to stop for her take off her shoes and shake sand out. When they came to where the men were building in the island they were resting on and brought her to a tent with maids she recognized from the labyrinth, waiting to serve her.

"We're having a celebration tonight. Prepare her." He ordered the maids and left.

Ariadne stood still as the maids washed and combed her hair, dressing her in the fine robes and jewels. She wanted to sit still and concentrate on preparing herself as to not embarrass Theseus, but Ariadne could not keep her focus straight. There was a feeling of dread clouding her head. The maids offered her a goblet of wine from Theseus and she immediately accepted it.

"Is this the part where he abandons her on the island."said Tory, "Then Dionysus comes and takes her as his wife." she stated of what she knew of the myth.

"Funny," he said, "how humans twist past events and gods encourage false tales to make their names memorable."

"That's not what happen did it."

"We'll see."

%

Ariadne had awoken from a dreamless sleep, hours later. She was confused and without memories of where she was and who. She glanced at her surrounding, not recognizing anything. Seeing the shadow of a man thought the white tent, frightened, she crept back, hugging her knees.

"Do not worry, dearest." She heard the man proclaim.

Ariadne whimpered in realizing the man was standing directly in front of the tent.

"I mean you no harm." he said softly, "Please come out and let me see you?"

Ariadne did as the man have pleaded, fearing she would anger him. Gingerly she pulled the light sheet aside and gasped as the saw the most handsome man standing before her, tall with dark hair and a lean body.

"Leuce!" He breathed. Smiling brightly, he reached for her but froze. His face twisted in anger and he took a step back.

Ariadne stepped back as well, mimicking his actions.

"Do not fear me, Leuce, I'm an your lover. I am here to bring you home. To our home."

She stared at him in awed. But though his face was kind and his words soft, she felt no recognition. Fearing the stranger, she stepped further into the tent.

"Leuce, please. I've waited so long to see you again!"

"Stay away from her!" A woman clothed in a heavy cloak, shouted. Dripping wet from the sea, she walked through the rough sand and pulled Ariadne behind her.

"Who are you?" the man demanded.

"Her sister," the woman replied.

The man narrowed his eyes and meant to push the woman aside but he suddenly turned into stone.

Ariadne fell back screaming.

"Don't be frightened!" The woman said, pulling her hood down to reveal her bandaged eyes. She pulled the bandaged from her glowing eyes and looked upon her.

"Who are you?"

"I'm your sister," the woman said softly, tears lining her face, "Ariadne, you were drugged. It made you lose your memories."

Ariadne stared at the woman, cautiously moving closer to her. "You're my sister?"

"Yes," The woman nodded taking her hand. When the woman leaned down to touch her, Ariadne spotted little white tips through her thick black hair. Realizing that they were horns, she screamed, pulling away from the creature, afraid she would be turned to stone like the man.

"No, please don't be frighten of me. I'm your sister. I love you. I'll never hurt you."

"What happened?" Tory asked Ash.

The setting of the island vanished replaced by the interior of a ship. Ash had turned his attention from Ariadne's memories to Theseus'. His memories of early that morning. On a bed, Phaedra laid, sick from the motions of the waves, her maids surrounded her with concern for her health. Two massaged her legs, while four fanned her. The rest were staying in their own private rooms nearby also sea sick.

Hearing a knock on the door one of the maids answered it. Phaedra rose with the help of her maids to greet Theseus as he entered.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better, thank you for the ginger."

Theseus knelt at her feet, look up at her with gentle eyes. "I'm sorry for taking you away from your homeland and forcing you to endure such hardship. I swear, once we reach my lands, I shall care for you and cherish you like a fine jewel that you are."

A blush touched her cheeks, "You are too kind...where's Ariadne?"

"She's quite upset, doesn't want to see anyone."

Phaedra nodded.

When Theseus returned to his private chamber, he was met by Dionysus.

"Dionysus..." Ash said through gritted teeth.

"Was he the one who crippled her?" asked Tory.

"I'm going to kill him." vowed Ash.

"Leave the the young Cretan princess on the island," ordered Dionysus, "and bring the older one to me."

Theseus grew stiff. He looked about ready to defy the god, but thought better of it and nodded, promising to do as he'd commanded. After leaving Ariadne on the island, he sailed away.

"Dionysus told Theseus to leave Ariadne for Hermes to find." said Tory, "He did it one purpose, making Hermes believe Ariadne was Mintha – well Lacy, and he was going to take Lacy from the ship."

That night, while pacing the deck, Theseus pounder about his dilemma. He loved Phaedra and didn't want to give her to Dionysus. But he was only human how could he go against a god?

"Something is troubling you."

Theseus turned around to find Phaedra walking towards him with two maids guiding her.

"Phaedra, what are you doing out here?" he said, rushing to her, "The cold winds will make you ill." he untied his cloak and put it on her. "Take her back to her chamber." he ordered the maids, but they weren't listening to him.

"Theseus, where's Ariadne?" Phaedra asked.

Theseus stopped fussing over her and swallowed a lump in his throat. "She's sleeping." he told her, which was partially true. The sleeping potion he gave her was strong. She was probably still asleep in the tent.

Before Phaedra could ask him another question, Dionysus materialized and wedged himself between Theseus and Phaedra.

"Leuce," said Dionysus, taking her arms, "how I've missed you."

Phaedra immediately pulled away, freeing her arms from him. "Who are you?"

He took her arms once again and said, "Do not fear me, Leuce, I'm an your husband. I am here to bring you home. To our home."

"No," Phaedra shook her head, "You're not my husband. Let go."

Before Ash could pull Dionysus away from Mintha and kill him, an arrow had appeared from the sky. It was heading straight for Dionysus. Dionysus dodged the arrow. His grip on Mintha was lose, she pushed him away from her and fell off the ship. Theseus and Mintha's maids went after her, but he couldn't find her and her maids had disappeared. He spent hours swimming around the area until he lost all of his energy and had to be carried back into the ship by the crew.

Leaving Theseus' memories, Ash focused in Ariadne's, returning himself and Tory to the island.

%

United once again, Ariadne and Phaedra lived alone on the island together for years, until a kind fisherman found them and let them aboard his boat.

"Thank you kind sir," Ariadne said once again. Her memories had returned and when she heard the fisherman said he was from Athens, she bribed him with jewels to take her back with him.

Phaedra refused to go and begged Ariadne not to go to Athens. She told of the feeling she had, but Ariadne dismissed it and entered the boat. She loved Phaedra and didn't want to leave her in the island all alone, but she wanted to see Theseus again. She didn't believe he purposely left her on the island for the god, who she found out from Phaedra, was Hermes to have. Theseus would never do such a thing to her because he loves her.

As the boat sailed away, Ariadne's tearful gaze never left Phaedra, who was standing under the shade of a large tree. The hood of Phaedra's cloak overlapping her head, hiding her face from view. Ariadne was secretly glad that she could not see Phaedra's face. She did not wish to see her eyes of accusations for abandoning her.

"She knew what she's doing was wrong, and that she was hurting Phaedra." said Tory as she and Ash stood on the island with Mintha.

Ash nodded, "But she didn't care. Her blind devotion for Theseus is controlling her actions. That selfish girl doesn't care about Mintha." he stood in front of Mintha, wrapping his arms around her. She could not feel his touch and neither could he, but he held her anyways. Held her as tears fell down her pale cheeks.

When Ariadne reached Athens she quick sought a chance to speak with Theseus, the king. She was surprised to learned it had been ten years since they parted. She and Phaedra didn't aged, but her Theseus was heavily beard and had streaks of white on his hair. His appearance may have changed, but in her eyes he was still that handsome and strong youth she loved.

Ariadne found Theseus while he was out hunting with his son. At first he thought she was a ghost, until she touched his arm to prove that she was alive. He was trilled to see her and ordered the servants to prepared a room for here where she was pampered her like the princess she was. After she had bathed and eaten, he asked of her travels. She recounted to him of the life she lived on the island. That was when he confessed the reasons why he had abandoned her on the island.

Ariadne gasped when she realized the truth. He did purposely left her on the island. She then confronted him of his abandonment. Theseus admitted to his crime and manipulation of her affections. He also admitted that he did love her, if it was for a short period, but as soon as he met Phaedra... "Your grace vanished from my heart, not even your shadow remains." he stated.

Ariadne was heartbroken. Theseus knew that Phaedra would not leave the labyrinth and enter his ship if Ariadne was not with them. He fooled Ariadne into believing he loved her so she would escape to his kingdom with Phaedra on tow. How could she have fallen for Theseus' deceit? He did not love her. He would never loved her like the way he loved Phaedra.

Swallowing her pride, she made him a deal. She'll pursue Phaedra to marry him but he must marry her as well. Theseus eagerly accepted her deal. He ordered his soldiers to ready a ship to sale and took off to prepare himself.

Sitting alone in her room, Ariadne wept for reasons unknown. She should be happy. She was finally going to marry her Theseus, but only because she had offered him her sister as a bribe. She was hurt. Hurt that he didn't love her and disgusted with herself for demeaning her sister by using her as a stepping stone. While they were alone island, Phaedra was the one who searched for food and water in the night and made sure she had enough to eat. And when she was suffering from illness, it was Phaedra who held her to her chest and soothes her with her beautiful voice.

Ariadne sobbed as she hugged her knees in her privet chambers as the ship journeyed to the island. Deep down she knew what she was doing was wrong. She loved her sister dearly, but she loved Theseus more. He belonged to her, even if he hadn't realized it yet. The gods had sent him to Crete to be with her. He loves her. He loves her...

"During daylight she stays in a cave," Ariadne told Theseus as they neared the shore.

"Her eyes are still sensitive to sunlight." Theseus muttered.

Ariadne ignored what she had heard. Of course he would know Phaedra's eyes are sensitive to light. He probably escorted her to his ship, years ago when they left Crete. Ariadne's chest grew tight as she slowly walked into the cave, remembering how Theseus had gave her a note with directions to the hidden ship. She had but a note to guide her, but with Phaedra he must had guided her himself.

"You're back!" Ariadne blinked when she heard Phaedra's voice and felt her embrace. With the emotion of betrayal and deceit fresh in her head, Ariadne roughly pushed Phaedra's arms away from her.

"What's the matter?" Phaedra asked her.

"Nothing, it's so dark in here. I thought you were something else." She was lying. After years of living in a cave, her eyes had grown accustomed to the pitch blackness. She had lied to Phaedra because she didn't want her know that she was upset at her for stealing her love.

Phaedra lightly touched her arm. "Is something wrong?"

Ariadne sighed. "Yes, something is. After seeing how wonderful the city is I realize how much I miss..." she sighed deeply.

"You miss being around other people?"

"Well...I do. But I do love being with you. You're great company, but I want more."

Phaedra nodded, comprehending what she was hinting. "You don't want to stay on the island?"

"We've been here for so long, I didn't realize how much everything has changed. And how great and peaceful the lives of the peasants are." Ariadne took her hand. "Oh, Phaedra there are markets and festivals. Don't you want to see it too?"

"I do, but...Ariadne, even if I go I can not see these wonders you speak of. And I'm having that feeling again."

"You're just paranoid. The fisherman, he said he can find us a place far in the woods. No one will bother us. We can sneak into the city during nightfall and enjoy the markets."

"Will that make you happy?"

Ariadne stiffened, wondering why she had asked such a question. Of course it would not make her happy. Being Theseus' queen would make her happy.

"Yes, it will."

"Then I will go with you."

Ariadne smiled as she tied the bandages around Phaedra's eyes and covered her head with the large hood.

"Are we leaving now?"

"We must."

"Can't we wait until nightfall?"

"No, the fisherman said we have to leave now. Something about the tides and storms. Wait here, I need to talk to him for a moment."

Ariadne rushed out and told Theseus of her plan to trick Phaedra into leaving the island with them. She told him not to speak and to warn his men as well or Phaedra would recognize his voice and figure out what they were doing.

As she guided Phaedra out of the cave, Ariadne saw Theseus' eyes glisten the moment he saw Phaedra. He made to embrace her but halted when she gave him a sharp, warning look. He might as well stab her in the chest with his actions. Never had he looked at her with such longing, such yearning. It was revolting!

"You're hurting me."

Ariadne quickly released Phaedra's arm, after gripping it so tight. "Sorry, I was excited."

She ushered her into the ship and led her to their room, Theseus silently following close by. He sat with them at the table, and gathered a plate of food and placed it in front of Phaedra. He held his goblet up and signaled Ariadne to tell Phaedra to eat. When Phaedra picked up the fork, Theseus took it from her hand and began to feed her. Phaedra, thinking it was Ariadne, accepted the gesture.

Ariadne might as well be invisible to him unless he needed her to speak with Phaedra in his place. She knew something like this would happen. Phaedra and Theseus would be strolling in the garden, embracing one another in bed, and raising their children. Ariadne thought she could handle watching them from afar, but the actual scene and mental ones hurt her all the same.

Ariadne wedged herself between Phaedra and Theseus when they landed in Athens and guided Phaedra away from him. Theseus would not have this and cleared his throat. Ariadne shook her head, secretly telling him to stop, but he ignored her.

"Ariadne! Phaedra!" he said in surprise.

Phaedra tilted her head when she heard his voice as if attempting to remember who it was. "Theseus?"

"Yes, T'is I. Why," he gasped, "you haven't aged a day since I last saw you."

"What do you mean?" asked Phaedra.

"It seems ten years have past while we were on the island." said Ariadne.

"Ten years..." muttered Theseus. "You both have remain so young and beautiful, but I –" he coughed, sounding weak and pathetic. "I am so old..."

"You're not old." Phaedra said.

"How kind of you, Phaedra." said Theseus sadly, "I have a son now. A young and vibrant boy. I can hardly keep up with him..."

He was attempting to pursue her to return his youth to him and it had worked. He knew of Phaedra's powers from Ariadne, how she would keep her father young so he could rule the kingdom longer. Ariadne's eyes widen as her Theseus returned to her. Gone was his beard, his hair completely black, and his body was well muscled as if carved from stone.

"Theseus," she breathed and went to embrace him, but he sidestep her and knelt at Phaedra's feet.

"I shall spend my life repaying you for your generosity." taking her hand, he kissed it. "Will you marry me?"

Jealousy consuming her thoughts and blinded by rage, Ariadne pulled Phaedra away, claiming they were going for a walk. Theseus rushed after them, not wanting to be away from Phaedra for a second.

With Theseus far behind them, Ariadne roughly pushed Phaedra to the ground and began strangling her. "I hate you! You steal everything from me!"

Phaedra kicked Ariadne off her and coughed. Ariadne advance on Phaedra planning to attack her again when suddenly she felt a sharp pain on her face. She cupped her right cheek and saw blood on her hand.

"What did you do to me?" she screamed, grabbing Phaedra and shaking her.

"What do you mean? Ariadne, what happened?" Phaedra shook her head, confused as to what Ariadne was talking about. Ariadne didn't listen and began strangling her again. This time with a mad intent to kill her

"Phaedra!" Theseus shouted, pulling Ariadne off Phaedra. He throw Ariadne to the side, without a care, and gently helped Phaedra up.

"If only you weren't here!" Ariadne sobbed like a petulant child, who lost her favorite toy. "If only you weren't here!"

Theseus helped Phaedra up and embraced her.

"Ash," Tory said, "I think we should leave." For unknown reasons, her gazed kept turning to a pyre nearby. Farmers who had cloth tied over their nose and mouth, were hurdling herds of livestock that appeared infected with disease into it.

"No, it's almost over." said Ash.

"Ariadne," said Phaedra. She had pulled out of Theseus' arm and went to Ariadne.

Ariadne roughly pushed her to the ground and screamed, "He would've loved me! How could you? How could you steal him from me? I thought you love me? You lied! You lied!"

"I never lied to you, Ariadne," pleaded Phaedra.

"I wish you'd go away! Go away and never come back! You've caused me nothing but pain and misery! Hades will burn you to ashes for your crimes!"

"I love you. I always have, since the day I held you in my arms. I love you." Pheadra turned to Theseus, "Please care for Ariadne and love her as you would love me. Please, forgive her for her mistakes. Do not harm her. No matter what they are and how angry you are. Swear it."

"I will."

As Theseus gave her his word, Phaedra vanished and reappeared in front of the pyre.

"Oh my god!" Tory shouted, realizing what she was about to do.

Ash flashed in front of Mintha and attempted to prevent her from jumping into the pyre by blocking her with his body, but she fell right through him and into the flames. Tory ran to Ash, holding his frozen form. He was faced away from the pyre and Tory was going to keep him that way. She covered his ears and forced him to look down at her and nothing else. He didn't need to heard Mintha's screams. See her body being engulf by the flames. Using her powers, Tory took them out of the memory.

%

Ash eyes turned red as rage so raw he could taste it scorched him. He wanted blood for the injustice done to his daughter. He didn't have to turn around to see what was happening behind him. There, reflected on Ariadne's eyes, he saw Mintha in the fire. As her form darkened, blisters lined her body as the fire melted her skin away as she screamed in agony.

"Ash," Tory said softly, still holding him tightly.

"She abandoned her. She hurt her. She pushed her to commit suicide."

He glared at the woman, resisting the desire to hunt the real her down and tear her apart.

Tory held Ash tighter, preventing him from advancing toward Ray. "Ash, it's not really her. This is a memory. That was a memory."

"I'll find the real her, then repay her for her kindness toward Mintha."

Tory shook her head. "Look at them Ash."

The muscles on his neck tightened as he gazed at Mintha, the hardness in his face soften instantly. She was smiling while she scooped food from the large plates in the middle of the table and offered them to Ray, encouraging her to taste them.

"She forgave her." Ash muttered, his eyes slowly turning back to normal.

"And she'll forgive you." Tory assured him.

"It's 'cause she loves her." he gestured to Hades and Persephone. Mintha was scooping food into their plates too. "She loves them. She doesn't love me."

"Oh, Ash."

"She doesn't even know me. I'm just the man who cursed her mother and caused her death."

Ash had told Tory of a dream he once had. Before he met Katra, he dreamed of her. In this dream, Katra had compassionate and gentle eyes. She stood over him with a sad look on her face. "One day we will know each other..." she would whisper to him. Then, there was another woman. Her face was completely hidden by the mist. Even so, he knew she was angry at him, wanted him dead. Furious even as her eyes glared at him through the shadows. She would scream at him, "Who do you think you are? I hate you! Get out. I don't ever want to see you again. I hope you get hit by a car in the parking lot. If I'm lucky, it'll even back up over you. Now go!"

At first, he didn't know who the woman was, but now…he knew it was Mintha.

"No, Ash don't say that."

"She hates me-"

"Ash!" Tory shouted, "No, you are not going to do this to yourself!" she pointed at Mintha. She was laughed and joked with her family. "She will forgive you. Nick did."

With that Ash had hope. He looked at Mintha, resisting the urge to embrace her.

"Anna!"

Mintha stood up to hug a woman in a Wonder Woman costume.

"We were wondering where you were." said Wonder Woman, releasing her.

"Just showing my sister and brother-in-law around." Mintha motion toward Persephone and Hades. "Persephone and Hades meet Candy."

"Like the Greek mythology?" asked Candy.

"Yes," Persephone shared a secret smile with Mintha, "this would be them, dressed in modern clothing."

"Well, you guys look great." said Candy. "Anna we're going to do the group picture in a bit."

"Okay, give me a minute. I need to put the rest of my costume on." Mintha took her tote and rushed to the bathroom.

When she came out in a different costume. A Hawk girl costume, then she told Persephone, Hades, and Ray to follow her. She came upon a group of people dressed in the Justice League theme. They greeted her and her company warmly. After posing for pictures, Mintha apologized for not being able to stay with them. She explained that she had promised her sister and her husband that she would show them around. Her friends understood and left them to go to a different area.

Tory looked into each of the humans' memories, seeing how they meet Mintha, and was surprised at what she saw. They were all Minth's former maids. The ones that lived with her in the labyrinth. She had released them and allowed them to live their lives as normal humans.

"Ash," said Tory, but Ash was busy staring at Mintha.

"We almost met." he said.

"What?"

"Mintha's human name is Anastasia Brockington... We had a blind date."

"What?"


	12. The Apartment

Sorry for the long wait. I really want to edit and rewrite this story but felt bad about not updating. I know how it feels to wait for an author to update a story in vain.

* * *

After Nick received a phone call from Julie in the middle of the night asking for help, he got there without hearing what the emergency was. If it was something two retired assassin couldn't handle on their own it must be serious.

"What happened?" Nick shouted after arriving at Julie and Paige's shop.

"A pipe broke. Our rooms are flooded." said Julie.

Nick was relief to hear that was it.

Julie and Paige lived in the floor above their shop. If a pipe broke that meant the water would continue to sink through and flood the entire shop.

"Do you have to close up your shop?" Nick asked.

"No. Fortunately, there are filters between the floors and the water's already been drain out into a gutter on the side of the building."

"How'd it break?"

Paige emerged from the stairs carrying plastic bins, followed by a short, thin looking guy, with black hair and red eyes as if he had been crying. "I was teaching Bobby, here, some self-defense moves and accidentally kicked the pipe."

Julie had a 'yeah-right' look on her face as Paige and Bobby walked passed them to put the bins in the car.

The wet carpet in the upper-floor made squeaking noises as Julie led Nick upstairs, where she told him what really happened.

"They were making out on her bed and she accidentally kicked the wall down." Julie said, then thought it over. "Well…it's more like she stomped it down."

Stopping at the threshold of Paige's bedroom door, she pointed at the hole on the wall above the bed's head board. Around the hole were multiple shoes prints, indicating that the area was kicked at multiple times. From the looks of it, Paige and Bobby were making out on the bed and had their feet against the wall.

"So he wasn't attacked by a raccoon?" Nick remarked, recalling the marks all over Bobby's neck as he walked by.

Julie laughed, pointing to a plastic bin and told him to put whatever he could find in them.

"Don't say anything. Paige finally got him to stop crying. Poor guy, blames himself for the mess."

"Why's he blaming himself? She's the one who kicked the wall down."

"Yeah, but he believes it was his fault. That he caused her to do it."

Nick scratched his head. "Where'd she met this guy?"

"Paige secretly smokes behind the shop." Julie explained. "She doesn't want me to see her do it. Thinks I'll start smoking too."

0o0

A little before sunset, Paige went to the back of her shop while Julie was studying for a test upstairs in her room. Not wanting the smell to travel to her sister's room, she glanced at Julie's window on the second floor above to make sure it was closed. Little did she know, Julie was studying in the spare room on the first floor and could clearly see Paige through a small window.

Satisfied Julie's window was closed, she took her cigarette out of her pocket and lite it. Sighing in pleasure, Paige closed her eyes savoring the taste.

"Smoking's not good for you, you know."

Paige's eyes snapped open. Her neck whipped to the direction of the speaker.

Julie left her book behind on the table as she went to the window to see who had spoken. A few feet from Paige stood Bobby, who had took a step back in respond to Paige's glare.

"Who are you and why are you talking to me?" Paige lazily inquired, taking another puff.

"Hi, I'm Bobby. I'm helping Mrs. Green," he motioned to the building next to them, "unload some boxes and...and I saw you. Um...smoking is the leading cause to various forms of cancers. For example -"

"Stop, stop!" Paige held her hand up to stop him from speaking any further. "Save the lecture professor, I get enough from my brothers. For your information: I'm trying to quit. Okay. Now go about your business and stay out of mine." she finished with a shooing motion.

Bobby did as he was ordered, then came back to her thirty minutes later after he finished unloading the truck.

"What?" Paige said, giving him a once over.

"You said you were trying to quit." Bobby stated.

Paige arched her brow at him. "Don't tell me you were counting my sticks."

"Y-yes, I was." Bobby replied, straightening his spine as if ready for a battle. "And I saw how you...I saw your bird fetching you your cigarette from the window too. I admit that was amazing, but do you know that's highly dangerous? Your bird could be poison from the tobacco it might accidentally ingest."

"Don't you know? Tobacco's healthy for birds. Makes their bones strong and let them fly higher. _Really high_." she laughed to herself.

Bobby reached into his pocket, took out his phone, and began pressing numbers. Paige went to him and snatched the phone out of his hand.

"Give that back!" Bobby said, reaching for it.

"Hell no! I can't let you call animal control." she said as she kept it out if his reach. "They'll take my baby away."

"I wasn't gonna call animal control on you."

"Yeah right," Paige looked at the screen and burst into laughter. "You were looking up my bird tobacco theory!"

She tossed his phone back to him, holding her side, attempting to calm herself. When she finally stopped, she glanced at Bobby's red face and laughed again.

"What's so funny?"

"Y-you...are!" she repeatedly jabbed her cigarette at him.

Paige sobered when she saw his eyes watering. "Don't cry." she patted his back. "I was just joking. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Bobby rubbed his eyes. "No! The ash from your cigarette flew in my eyes when you were laughing and pointing at me."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Paige threw her cigarette aside. Cupping his face, she attempted to blow the ashes away with her breath.

"You're going to put that out right?"

Paige stopped what she was doing and stared at Bobby, puzzled.

"Your cigarette." he pointed. "It's still burning. It could start a fire."

"Its on cement." she argued.

"Oil can spill on it and the place might go up in -"

Paige released Bobby and went to stomp on her cigarette. "Happy?"

Bobby picked up the flattened cigarette and tossed it into the trash.

* * *

"For a second there I thought she was going to punch him." admitted Julie.

Nick nodded, "I could imagine that. How'd they end up making out in her room?"

Julie smiled. "Paige's got a soft spot for boy scouts. I think she'll finally quit smoking."

"Why?"

"'Cause Bobby doesn't like the taste. If she wants to kept kissing him she has to quit." She giggled.

Nick chuckled. "If you guys need a place to stay while your place's getting fixed up you can stay with me at my house." he offered. Thinking it'd be nice to have his mom back in their home and he didn't mind Paige there either.

Julie stopped what she was doing. "Thanks but we already found a place."

"Really? Where?"

"A friend of ours owns this apartment building. She gave us a discount on the rent and offered to help us move our stuff."

"Oh...cool." he said, trying not to sound disappointed.

After gathering the majority of their things in the bins and stuffing his car with them, Julie sat with Nick in his car, giving him directions to her temporary apartment. They reached the Warehouse District a few minutes later on Commerce Street. Even though it was late, the streets were bustling with activity, both tourist and local. This popular area was New Orleans' premier art district and was often referred to as the SoHo of the South.

As they drove by an old abandoned warehouse that had been a popular art gallery during the 1980s, Nick remember that a few years ago, Sunshine was once kidnapped by a war god and held captive there. He wasn't there to help save her, 'cause he was sent to babysit a psychopath Zarek at the time. He couldn't believe how long its been, how many things have changed. How he had changed.

"That's it right there." said Julie, point to a warehouse a few blocks down.

Pulling into the parking lot, Nick looked at Julie's new place. The four story warehouse was once a storage unit for people who couldn't part with their old stuff. It closed down years ago, when the owner died and his kids auctioned out the units. The large-paned windows were tinned. The large red doors were replaced with solid metal.

Julie took out her cell phone and dialed a number. The metal doors opened and a woman with shoulder length black hair and bright blue eyes greeted them.

"Dai?" said Nick, surprised she was here.

"You two know each other?" asked Julie.

"Yeah, we met a couple of days ago." said Dai.

Five feet four, Dai, pronounced like the word _die_, was a head shorter than Nick. She had tanned skin that faded to a shade lighter every time he saw her. Her tan was a remnant of her days living out in the country and working on a farm. She had told him that the main reason for moving from the country was because she wanted a change of scenery. Her family sold the farm and move to the city. They chose New Orleans because a friend of hers owned an apartment building and invited them to move in as building superintendent. They could live there for free as long as they handled everything going on in the building while their friend was gone.

Dai's soft pink lips turned upward into a smile. "Hi Nick. What are you doing here?"

"I'm helping Julie and Paige out. So is this the place you were talking about?"

Nick inhaled deeply, and forced his body to not react to the familiar scent surrounding him. Mintha had been here. Her scent was everywhere. His eyes went to Dai, observing her from head to toe. The mask remained and it was difficult to tell if she was Mintha or not. Dai noticed he was staring at her and tensed. He was making her self-conscious. He stopped looking at her and she relaxed.

"Yep." she said, inviting them in.

"You really tricked this place out." Nick said as they went inside. It looked nothing like the outside. The room was tastefully decorated with warm colors, and artistic paintings on the wall.

"It was already like this before we moved in." said Dai, "This used to be a storage unit so the layout is different from your average apartment."

"It's a lot bigger than it looks outside." noted Nick as he glanced around.

"It's kind of like a maze too. You can get lost in here if you don't know where you are going." said Dai as they followed her upstairs to a door labeled number three. "Here we are. Paige is right next to you." she pointed at door number four. "I live in number five."

If Nick was lucky all of the women on his list would all lived in this building. That would narrow it down. Sensing someone behind them, Nick turned around to where Delilah stood holding a puppy.

"Welcome to the neighborhood." she smiled.

She lived here too? No coincidence there. This was too good to be true. No way was Mintha making it _that_ easy for him. Something was up.

"Hey, Nick!" said Delilah, surprised to see him.

"Gee, Nick, you sure are popular." said Julie before she walked into her room with Dai.

Nick nervously laughed. "I'll go get the rest of the stuff from the car." He needed some fresh air. Mintha's scent was impairing his brain.

When Nick reached his car he went inside and shut the door. There he took deep breathes, to clear his lungs of her scent. After he composed himself he went back inside, carrying an arm full of bins. Delilah had put her puppy away and was waiting in the hall for him.

"Let me help." said Delilah as she took a bin from the stack he was holding and disappeared into Julie's room.

Nick placed the bins on the floor and tried to hold his breath so he would not inhale more of Mintha's scent.

"You okay, Nick? You don't look so good." said Callie.

Nick stopped dead on his tracks when he saw Callie and Sophie standing on front of him. "What are you two doing here?"

"Hi, Nick." said Pallas, who appeared out of one of the doors, just as Paige walked out of her room and into the hallway.

Paige looked from Callie, Sophie, and Pallas to Nick and Delilah, who recently walked back out. "Damn, you sure are popular." She took a few bins from his stack and went back into her own room.

The old Nick would have made a snarky remark in return, but at the moment he could not bring himself to say a word. There were very few times in his life when he was speechless and this was one of them. His eyes were trained on a photograph hanging on the wall. He put the bins down and went to get a closer look, passing the women. In the photograph was Mintha with blonde hair, standing next to another woman with brown hair. She may not look the same, but he recognize her since she didn't use her powers to block it.

"Who is that?" he asked. He pointed at Mintha and waiting for anyone to answer him.

"That's Anna and Holly," said Dai, coming up beside him, "They're the owners of the building."

"They live here?" said Nick, understanding why Mintha's scent was everywhere.

"Yes." replied Dai.

"Got extra room available?" asked Nick. He was elastic at the thought of living with Mintha again, not matter what form she was in or where she was. He wanted to be in the place closest to her and his mom being there was a bonus.

"Of course, but I don't just let anyone move in."

"What do I have to do?"

"There's a questionnaire you have to fill out. Wait here, I'll get the forms." said Dai and she was gone.

"Lacy is being too easy on you." said Callie as she came up beside him.

"Believe me, none of this is easy." said Nick.

After unloading most of the bins Nick took a break in the kitchen with Dai to fill out the questionnaire she had given him. Juile and the others were in a different room relaxing. When Nick was done, he gave the paper back to Dai.

"You made a D." said Dai.

"Is that pass or fail?" Nick anxiously asked her.

"Sorry, fail."

"Can I do it again? How are you grading this? Some of the questions didn't even make sense."

"I'm sorry, Nick, but we are very strict about you taking the test only once and the grading."said Dai. She took the paper and left to go put it away.

Nick was alone in the kitchen until Paige walked in. She went straight to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water and a some orange juice. Sitting in the chair next to him, she placed the bottle of water in front of him and drank her orange juice.

"Why the long face?" asked Paige.

"I failed the test. I don't know how, I mean it's a series of random questions. What is it a personality test? What grade did you and Julie get?"

"It's more of a species test." said Paige, "Me and Julie got H's for human. You got D for demon."

"Demon? H-how did I get a D?" Nick was in fact a demon, but he didn't think a few questions about this height and favorite food could reveal something like that.

"Because you are one." Her words caught him off guard.

"What?!" He exclaimed in alarm.

"Callie told me about you. Don't worry I'm cool with it."

"Does Julie know?"

"No."

"Don't tell her, please. I want to be the one." pleaded Nick.

"Sure." she promised.

Nick was relieved. "How do you know Callie?"

"We've been friends for_ years_. Well, that's what she told me."

"So, you one of Lacy's maids?" Although she felt familiar, he didn't recognized Paige's face. Then again, Lacy had like a billion maids. He didn't know all of them.

"This body used to be one of Demeter's maids. When I woke up from the car accident, I had no memories of who I was. Lacy told me I can live in this body as a gift to someone she loves and for me to live a new life."

"Any ideas who you were before?"

Paige shrugged. "Nope. But hey, I own my own awesome business. I got unlimited money. Julie is great company. I'm not complaining."

"I know you. I mean the person who you used to be." he confessed. "I don't know who you were, though."

"Don't tell me we used to screw."

"No. It's not that. You feel kind of...like...family."

Paige sent him a warm, motherly smile that jogged his memory.

"I know who you are! You're -" the mask covering her face vanished before his eyes and a smile spread across his face.

"Don't tell me." Paige cut him off. "I want to find out on my own."

"Wait! If you are here, then..." Nick nearly squeal like a girl when he realized who she was but kept his mouth shut tight to not embarrass himself. Paige wanted to figure this out on her own and he had to respect her decision. "What happened to Bobby? Is he still here?"

"Sure. He lives here. Right across the hall from me." said Paige, not hiding her pleasure of knowing that her secret boyfriend slept a few feet away from her.

Paige's reaction to the mere mention of Bobby almost proved that he was who Nick thought he was. Nick thanked Paige and went to find Bobby upstairs. Bobby was in the middle of sorting out some bags when Nick found him. As Nick watched him from a distance Bobby's face transformed in to the loveable Papa bear he knew and then back to the short dork he was now. Nick resisted the urge to hug Bobby. It might scare him.

That was the thing about Mintha. She loved him to the point that she would give him everything he ever wanted. All that he gave her was heartache. He was a bastard. The lowest of the low.

"Nick?" said Delilah. She touched his arm lightly.

"Oh, hey."

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

Delilah was curious by his behavior, but luckily she didn't press the matter. "We are having a little welcome party for Paige and Julie once they are settled. Want to come?"

"I wouldn't miss it."

* * *

"What are you talking about Ash?"

"Ten years ago a friend of mine tried to set me up on a blind date with a woman name Anastasia Brockington." Ash had recalled that particular day. Amelia Casa, an elderly owner of an antique store, he took Simi to, had tried to play matchmaker. She thought they were strangely dressed but believed they were ordinary human. One day she had asked him if he was married when he told her no she was excited and began talking about a female customer who often came to her shop. The woman spoke about Anastasia as if she was her own grand-daughter and told him bluntly that she was also single. She wanted to set a date for them. He found it amusing. Although he didn't consider being in a relationship due to his present one with Artemis at the time, he figured he could make a new friend. He was supposed to met her in a café down the street but she stood him up.

"Are you sure it's her?" Tory asked.

"I don't know but let's see." Ash took them back in time to the antique store ten years ago a day after Amelia had spoke to him.

The antique shop was crowded with rows of random items from porcelain dolls to tea pots sets. The store had closed down about five years ago, after the owner had died peacefully in her bed. Her family had sold whatever was left on ebay and moved on with their lives.

In this time, Amelia was still alive and sitting at her counter watching soap operas. Ash speed the time forward just a little to see who was coming into the shop. He stopped when Tory recognized a woman with black hair and tan skin holding Mintha's leather tote. It was identical to the one she had at DragonCon.

Amelia instantly greeted the woman with a smile. "Anna, sweetie, how are you today?"

"Wonderful, and you?"

While the two woman exchange greetings Ash and Tory walked up to who the believe was Mintha.

"I can't tell if it's really her." said Ash, studying her face.

Tory peeked in the partially open in the bag. "How about we follow her and find out?"

Thinking it wouldn't hurt to try, he agreed. After Anna was finished talking to Amelia, she left the shop walked into a bakery across the street.

"Simi loved this place." Ash told Tory as they walked in. "She likes to sit over there." he pointed to table.

Anna had ordered some pastries and sat down. Tory and Ash sat on the chairs beside her and watched as she ate.

"She seems normal." said Tory. "Can we pick her brain?"

"We should." Ash looked at Anna. She suddenly stopped eating and looked at him. She was staring at him.

"Can she see you?" whispered Tory.

Anna turned her head to Tory, surprising her.

"Want some?" asked Anna.

Tory and Ash turned their heads around, believing she was speaking to someone behind them. There was no one. They shop was empty aside from the girl at the counter. They turned back to Anna, she had placed a bun over a napkin on the table in front of each of them.

"What are we going to do?" said Tory. He was speechless and only stared at Anna.

"Don't like them? It's okay." Anna reached to take the buns away but Ash blinked and said no.

"Can you see me?" Ash asked Anna.

"I can see yours and your friend's outline. You followed me from the shop."

"We...we are looking for...someone." Ash said carefully.

"I'll help you if I can. Who is it?"

Ash opened his open to speak but Tory placed her hand over his and squeezed it. He sent Tory with questing look.

"We are looking for Melinoe." Tory said in ancient Greek language.

Ash arched his brows in confusion. He didn't know anyone by that name and why she was speaking in ancient Greek. They didn't know if Anna even understood it.

"What business do you have with Melinoe?" Anna asked back, confirming that she knew the language.

"We want to meet her."

Anna's eyes went from Ash to Tory as she considered them.

"Please, it is important that we speak to her." Tory pressed, sending Ash a reassuring look.

"I am she."

Tory smiled. From what she knew of ancient text, Hades and Persephone were said to have a few children together including two daughters named Melinoe and Makaria. Makaria was the goddess of blessed death and Melinoe was the goddess of nightmares and madness. She took a gamble with the names and was thrilled to see that it had worked.

"Your name is Melinoe? Not Leuce?" said Ash.

"My name was Melinoe but my parents changed it to Leuce." a corner of her lips twitched, it was not missed by the couple. "I have not been called that name in a long time."

"I want to ask you about..." Tory paused, wondering what she should say. She could not ask about Mintha yet. It would be to soon. She searched her mind but it was blank and the only word that came out was _Atlantis_. She wanted to slap her own head when she said the word.

"Which Atlantis?"

Tory had ate and breathed the ancient empire ever since she could remember. After she had met Ash and went to see it, she was still fixated on it. It was the first thing, beside Ash, that she thought of when under pressured. "The one that sunk." she was already in deep and there was no turning back.

"I've been there."

"Do you know Apollymi?" asked Ash. He saw that Tory was choking and came to help.

"Not personally but I know her husband."

That caught Ash and Tory by surprise.

"You do?" asked Tory. "How?"

Ash could only imagine what type of relationship she had with his father. He had heard rumors of Archon's womanizing. The man broke his mother's heart with his wondering.

"He tried to rape me multiple times." she said causally.

"WHAT?!" Ash stood up from his seat in anger.

Tory quickly went calm him down. She was equally as emotional as he was but she had to stay level headed.

"Did...he..." Ash was upset to the point that he could not form a coherent sentence from the shock. His biological father had nearly raped the woman who had raised his daughter. Ash didn't know when Mintha had taken over Lacy's body and assumed the worse. Maybe Archon had nearly raped his own grand-daughter? The thought made him sick and close to vomiting.

"No. Honestly, he and his friend has poor combat skills."

"Friend?" said Tory.

"His Sumerian lover."

"You were almost raped by two men?" Ash said in a tight voice. His anger unleashed and Tory had to pull him back to their time.

When they arrived to their home, Ash was fuming.

"She - him - rape - two!" he mumbled.

"Almost! She got away!" Tory shouted over him. She stopped in in mid pace and pulled him into a hug.

Ash hugged Tory back. He fell onto his knees, silent tears falling. She went down with him, holding him tighter. He was hysterical and there was only one way to sooth him.

"We need to see Apollymi."


End file.
